Detective Midoriya
by rogueptoridactyl
Summary: After the sludge incident, Izuku Midoriya's dream was officially crushed. However, a later experience takes the boy in a new direction. Izuku had never really contemplated being a detective, but his whole life he'd only ever wanted to help people with a smile on his face. Thanks to some luck and an entire police station, Izuku's dream is reborn.
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

There were a few rules that Yagi Toshinori was still struggling to instill into his students, rules that seemed so trivial and mundane that it seemed a bit ludicrous that heroes had to learn it in the first place. The first was to take every task seriously, no matter how trivial it may have seemed. Young Bakugou especially struggled with that one, giving up on a task once it was completed to his satisfaction, or if it was deemed trivial, he often would make matters worse.

The second rule was to be mindful of your stamina. This was a bittersweet lesson for Toshinori, because it was his disregard for this rule that left him with only an hour of hero time each day. He saw the same tendencies in a few of his students, such as young Kirishima and young Satoa.

Finally, the third and most important rule was to always be aware of your surroundings. Ashido probably struggled the most with this, and Toshinori was struggling to find a way to teach the girl the rule before someone else had to pay the price of her inattention.

These rules were cycling through Toshinori's mind when he woke up. After enough years of dealing with crime, a person gets almost a sixth sense for it. When Toshinori woke up that day, he could feel it in his bones that something bad was going to happen.

He was already calculating how much hero work he would be able to accomplish, but a lot of it depended on luck. Toshinori just hoped that he would have time left when it was needed.

Distracted by his worrying, Toshinori didn't notice the dip in the sidewalk. He barely managed to catch himself from falling, but the papers in his hands were not nearly as lucky.

Cursing under his breath, Toshinori moved to gather the papers, but a pair of freckled hands were already collecting them for him. Toshinori looked up to see a pair of bright green eyes that looked vaguely familiar, eyes that held far too much recognition for Toshinori's comfort.

Wordlessly the boy shoved the papers into the hero's hands and scrambled away, giving Toshinori a better view of the retreating figure. He was short, and clearly still a teenager, wearing a dirty hoodie over ripped jeans. Everything about him screamed that he was a hoodlum. The boy's appearance combined with Toshinori's uneasiness put the man on even higher alert. Something told him that that boy would have a hand in whatever was going to unfold.

Throughout the day, he would have described the anxiety plaguing him as a pit in his stomach if he still had a stomach. His teaching suffered because of it, and young Bakugou wasn't shy about telling him so. Luckily it wasn't just Toshinori, however, that felt off. No, a sense of looming danger hung over all the students in the hero course, one that the teachers felt even more acutely.

Toshinori was making a lot of the same mistakes he'd made his first year of teaching. Luckily his students had grown immensely since then and there weren't any incidents.

They were in the middle of an exercise dealing with rescuing hostages when his phone rang. Seeing who was calling, Toshinori answered immediately.

"What is it, Tsukauchi?"

"We've got a huge fight, Toshinori," the detective's terse voice informed him. "I've got an undercover detective in the middle of it all, so I need you and whichever heroes you think are best for the job, _now._ This isn't a job for your students." With that, Tsukauchi hung up, only for a text message with an address to come through.

Swallowing thickly, the hero called Nedzu. Before the principal could even really answer, All Might said, "I need you to watch my cliass. There's a situation that I was called in to." After a few moments he added, "And Midnight and Eraserhead are needed as well."

"Very well. I shall inform the other two and be there momentarily," Nedzu responded. And sure enough, before Toshinori could do more than explain the situation to his class, Nedzu was already strolling into the room.

The pro-hero rushed to the parking lot where his truck waited, along with Aizawa and Nemuri. Luckily the two were okay with Toshinori's breakneck pace, and Aizawa was a good navigator.

All Might knew he'd found the place when they drove up to a warehouse positively swarmed by police cars. Tsukauchi was pacing outside the warehouse looking more stressed than All Might had ever seen him.

Still in the truck, Toshinori transformed into his hero persona. Looking at Aizawa and Nemuri respectively, he could tell that all three heroes were ready for whatever came.

They moved towards Tsukauchi uniformly, ready to be debriefed. Toshinori tried to keep his surprise from showing- the man was _fretting._

Turning to the heroes, Tsukauchi said, "We have no idea what the situation is inside, we lost contact with out undercover detective. There's over fifty people inside, most if not all with extensive criminal records. Be vigilant. Don't get my boy killed."

All Might shivered at the emotions in the detective's voice before accepting an ear piece from Aizawa.

"I'll go in first," he was saying. "I'll keep you all updated on the situation so we don't just make it worse."

The other two nodded and Aizawa was gone, disappearing into the warehouse. Toshinori stationed himself by one of the doors, fully prepared to burst in at a moment's notice. Then, he listened.

"Okay, I'm getting close to the main fight. It doesn't sound as violent as I expected," crackled Aizawa's voice. "I'll have a visual soon."

All Might whispered the update to Tsukauchi, whose stress was palpable. Both men stood at attention, not daring to speak.

"They're at a ceasefire," Aizawa said. "The two leaders are already talking things over to end it all without bloodshed. It's all because of some kid with green hair."

Upon hearing that information, Tsukauchi breathed in a sigh of relief. "I don't know how the kid does it."

"I'm guessing the kid is our undercover detective. He's amazing, he's gotten everyone to stop fighting but he still hasn't blown his cover," came Aizawa's voice. All Might couldn't help but raise his eyebrows. The two were going on three years of teaching together, and he had never heard the man give such high praise to _anyone_.

"I take it he's one of yours?" All Might asked Tsukauchi in a low voice.

"Our youngest detective yet," the man said proudly. "Midoriya is the best analytical mind we have. It's a good thing his mother doesn't want to move, or he would've been poached by some other district already. Offers are still pouring in for him."

"What kind of quirk does he have? He seems to have handled this all incredibly smoothly," All Might said curiously.

"He's actually quirkless," Tsukauchi said blandly. "Years ago he had his heart set on being a hero but apparently he was involved in an incident. He tried to help out, but the pros just berated him and one even told him to keep his dreams attainable. It honestly almost broke the kid, but whoever that hero was made one of the biggest mistakes of their lives. Midoriya may be quirkless, but he's one of the most determined and skilled people I've ever met."

A chill ran down All Might's spine as he remembered an incident years ago with a scrawny green haired boy. Was it his words that had nearly broken the child? Surely that couldn't have been the boy that had just impressed Eraserhead so deeply. He was far too young to be a detective, if All Might remembered correctly. Where was that child? Toshinori probably should have kept better tabs on the boy who knew his secret.

Aizawa's voice broke All Might from his ponderings. "Send in Midnight. If she's stealthy enough we should get this resolved with minimal injury,.

"Got it. I'm coming in," Midnight said into the earpiece. Shortly after, however, Aizawa gasped.

"What's going on,Eraserhead?" Toshinori demanded.

"Someone's using their quirk. I can't find them, and-"

The audio was overtaken by static, confirming the feeling in Toshinori's gut that everything was going too well. "Eraserhead? Eraserhead! Midnight?"

All Might could feel his heart slamming in his chest. When neither hero answered him. Toshinori said, "Someone's using their quirk in there, I'm going in."

Tsukauchi moved to protest, but All Might was already barrelling through the doors with his signature laugh and catchphrase. It was just then that the earpiece started working again. "-mit All Might, we almost had it," Eraserhead was hissing.

All Might didn't know what all the fuss was about as the situation seemed to be in hand. Thanks to Midnight's quirk almost all the men were unconscious, and those that weren't were swiftly rendered useless by Eraserhead.

"A job well done, fellow heroes," All Might said with a booming laugh, a laugh loud enough to cover the sound of a gun being cocked.

"MOVE!" A young voice called before something collided into Toshinori, jolting the man before a gunshot rang across the warehouse.

Static seemed to fill Toshinori's ears as he felt time slow down. The thing, or person, rather, who had collided with Toshinori collapsed onto the hero, something warm and wet seeping onto him. Looking down, Toshinori found a head of green hair that contrasted with the blood that was beginning to cover both him and the boy who had just _taken a bullet for the Number One Hero._

Coughing wetly, the boy almost fell to the ground before Toshinori remembered himself and caught the boy, gently lowering him to the ground. In the background he heard the telltale sounds of Midnight taking care of the gunman. But right now, the boy's life depended on Toshinori's assistance. For the first time in years, Toshinori wished that he had his cape, any loose fabric he could rip off to staunch the bleeding. As it was, he had no option but to use his massive hands to press down on the boy's abdomen, praying to some higher power that he was helping. But the boy's breath was still coming out as violent gasps of air, his green eyes darting around, unseeing. All Might's stomach sank as he recognized those same green eyes and freckles he'd been wary of that same morning.

"What was that gunshot?" Tsukauchi demanded, rushing in after Toshinori. Seeing the boy on the ground, the man froze before growling, "I want restraints on every person in here that isn't one of us. We need an ambulance NOW!"

All Might flinched at the ferocity in his old friend's voice. Police officers poured in, complying with the man's every order, though many hardened upon seeing the boy in Toshinori's arms.

Orders given, Tsukauchi collapsed beside the boy, ripping off his jacket to try and staunch the bleeding, which was infinitely more helpful than Toshinori's hands.

"Midoriya, stay with me," the detective begged. "Just keep breathing."

Finally those green eyes found something to focus on as the boy looked up, latching onto the form of the older detective. When he did speak, the wheezes were barely recognizable as words.

"Trying to… sir," the boy said, pausing to cough. To their horror, drops of blood sprayed out with each cough. "Just… in case, tell… Mom… love her."

"Kid, I order you not to die," Tsukauchi said seriously, pressing even harder on his jacket. "I will not explain this to your mother. You have to keep fighting."

"You know… always follow… orders," Midoriya rasped, quirking his lips into the barest trace of a smile before his eyelids fluttered shut.

Toshinori swallowed thickly, feeling like this was somehow his fault. The bullet had been meant for him, he knew, and _this child_ had intercepted it- and based on their interaction, this child was Tsukauchi's detective.

There were fundamental rules that are so logical that one wouldn't think that heroes needed to learn them. The third and most important rule pounded through his head, and he could practically hear the voices of his students critiquing him the same way that they would critique one another in an exercise.

" _Why was there anyone still awake to attack?" Aizawa would ask in that steely voice._

 _Iida and Yaoyorozu would fight to analyze the situation first, but in the end Yaoyorozu would win. "There hadn't been sufficient time for Midnight's quirk to fully spread throughout the room, and All Might's entrance brought in more air flow to disperse her quirk, allowing the villains to further resist. When he mistakenly thought the situation was taken care of, he made enough noise to allow the villains the element of surprise."_

" _And which rule was broken?" Aizawa would ask, staring Toshinori down so he would know exactly what he had done._

" _Ooh, I know!" Ashido would shout, jumping up and down. "It's my rule, the third and most important rule!"_

Toshinori had let his guard down, foolishly unaware of his surroundings. And just as he always warned his students, All Might was not the one who paid the price. Indeed, instead it was paid by his closest friend's protege.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello! It's your girl back with a fic that she probably shouldn't have even started until she finished Arson, but such is life. FYI, you can still expect updates on Arson, it's kind of my main fic at the moment. This was something that was just a fun idea, inspired by an idea from Cuteknight101 on Ao3. I also just needed a quick break from writing Hisashi's perspective, as well as needing to step away from Arson for a minute to see how I want to format the story.**

 **As always, let me know what you think! Follows and reviews greatly encourage me to keep writing.**


	2. Chapter 2

_Three Years Ago_

It only took a matter of minutes for Midoriya Izuku's dream and entire plan for his future to be shattered. He had spent the first twelve years of his life surrounding himself with everything he could find about heroes, devising various ways to become one without a quirk.

Izuku's dream was the dream of many, but his motivation was considerably more pure. Rather than seeking fame and fortune, Midoriya Izuku merely wanted to help people, to use his smile to reassure people in the darkest of times, remind them that the world still held light.

But in the boy's darkest time, his hero failed him, offering neither verbal reassurance,nor the smile he was famed for. Midoriya Izuku did not die that day, but his sense of purpose did.

The boy stumbled away from the rooftop, silently wondering if he should heed his classmate and stumble _off_ of it instead. Tears he didn't realize he'd shed coursed down his cheeks as he pondered the truth of his hero's identity, as well as all that All Might had told him.

Without realizing, the boy's legs had carried him to yet another crowd, a villain fight. It didn't seem like much of a fight though, and it felt empty to him.

Then he took in the details of the fight, the villain who was all too familiar and the red eyes pleading for help, red eyes that Izuku could never forget.

The sludge villain had Kacchan.

Before Izuku knew what he was doing, his legs carried him forward, slinging his bag at the sludge villain's eye, his one vulnerable spot. The villain recoiled, giving Izuku just enough leeway to start pulling his classmate out of the sludge.

For the second time that day, a single punch from All Might took down the sludge villain, bringing immense relief to the crowd. People murmured amongst themselves, acting as judge and jury over what had just happened.

"What was that scrawny kid trying to accomplish? He just made more work for the heroes," a particularly venomous woman asked.

"I think he just wanted attention," another woman said. "Some kids are so pathetic."

Every instinct was telling Izuku to run, leave this place, but the cruel words froze him in place.

"What do you think you're doing?" a rough voice asked, an equally rough hand grabbing the boy by the arm.

Looking up, Izuku was peering into the face of Death Arms. The man was a passable hero, bur Izuku could have told him numerous ways the man could maximize his quirk. Unfortunately the man was held back by his idolization of All Might.

"I-I just wanted to help," Izuku stammered.

"If you're going to interfere, you better have the quirk to back it up," Death Arms growled, shaking Izuku a bit.

"For real kid," Mount Lady interrupted. "I'm just starting out, do you want my career to be ruined because of you?"

"Mount Lady, Death Arms, stand down," said a much more logical voice. Izuku raised his eyes to see none other than Kamui Woods, who gently put his hand on Izuku's shoulder. "Listen kid, your intentions were noble today. I understand that you were just trying to help out your friend, and that's admirable. But it was incredibly dangerous. We've trained for this for years, we're the experts, so until you have the training to joining us, trust us to handle it, okay?"

The hero's words were kind, but more than anything Izuku wanted to go home. Disgustingly enough he could still feel a layer of slime coating his esophagus, and part of him wanted to cry even though he didn't have any tears left.

A part of his mind whispered that he should ask Kamui Woods if he could become a hero, but All Might himself had already counselled him against his dream. It was generally unwise to blatantly ignore advice from the world's top hero.

The image of his mother apologizing to him flashed through his mand. He'd been told it was an impossible dream his entire life, but it was finally starting to sink in.

Izuku Midoriya really was just a useless Deku.

Mind numb, Deku stumbled away from the scene, aware of the heroes still yelling at him, but not caring. His legs started on the way home, everything in him screaming to go home, go to where it was _safe_.

He was stopped on his way by the last person in the world he wanted to see.

"The other heroes already lectured me," Izuku said before All Might could say anything. "Thank you for saving me and Kacchan. It's clear now that I'll never be a hero."

All Might was taken aback, the change in the child was drastic enough that for a moment he wondered if this was the same boy. "Young man, I-"

"Oh," Deku said quietly, green eyes dull. "Your secret. It's safe, I swear I won't tell anyone."

Izuku shuffled on, leaving a shocked All Might in his wake. Gone was the determined young man that had impressed All Might, and the pro hero couldn't help but feel that he had had a hand in it.

The hero debated with himself for a moment before deciding it was best to just leave. He wasn't equipped to deal with the boy's emotions, after all. At least, that was what he told himself.

His second (or did that count as third?) encounter with All Might barely even registered in Deku's mind. Almost nothing registered in his mind, though. He was nearly home when he heard pounding footsteps on the sidewalk beside him.

"DEKU!" Bakugou howled, fury emanating from him. When Izuku turned around to face the irate blond, it was an explosion that greeted the boy.

It was the biggest explosion Bakugou had used on him yet, burning his face and chest as well as throwing the boy to the ground.

"What was that?" Bakugou seethed. "Do you think you're better than me or something?" When Izuku didn't respond, the blond kicked the fallen boy. "ANSWER ME!"

Izuku opened his mouth to say _something,_ but another voice rang out.

"KATSUKI BAKUGOU. Step away from my son, _now,_ " Inko Midoriya yelled, exiting her house looking like the embodiment of rage itself.

The blond boy stiffened, unused to being caught or reprimanded. Red eyes glaring at the smaller boy, he spat, "You better watch yourself, Deku. Remember you're worthless."

"I know," the boy said faintly, finally glancing up at his former friend.

Bakugou stared for a moment, shocked by how _dead_ the boy's eyes were. Before, they always held that stupid, inextinguishable shine to them. But now Izuku Midoriya sat before him, broken.

It wasn't nearly as satisfying as he thought it would be.

Inko caught Katsuki by surprise, bodily shoving him away from her son. "Stay away from Izuku," she snarled, collecting her dazed and injured child into her arms. "Come on Izuku, you need to go to the hospital."

"I'm sorry, Mom," the green-haired boy mumbled, but he was promptly shushed.

"No Izuku," Inko said. "I'm sorry you've been dealing with this alone until now. You shouldn't have hidden it from me, but it's in the past and it's time to move forward."

The mother and son shared plenty of tears as they took a cab to the hospital. The cab driver discreetly wiped away a few tears himself when he heard the boy begin recounting the day's events. When the reached the hospital he waved away Inko's payment, instead wishing Izuku a quick recovery.

Luckily inside the hospital they weren't kept waiting for very long. A kind female doctor came into the waiting room only minutes after they had signed in, calling, "Izuku Midoriya?"

Izuku pushed himself to standing, feeling close to fainting from the pain. Following the doctor, a host of worries plagued his mind, the foremost being the explanation he would have to give to yet another person. He was exhausted in all aspects of the word, wanting nothing more than to collapse into _his_ bed and sleep for days.

Thankfully the doctor was kind, listening attentively and only asking the questions she absolutely had to before beginning her examination. Other than an unpleasant throat swab, the procedures were quick and painless. The kind woman gave Inko very detailed instructions on what to do, which was good because Izuku retained none of it.

The mother and son decided to walk home, and Izuku kept shooting "discreet," worried glanced at Izuku. Most of the walk passed by in relative silence until Inko asked, "How long has this been happening? The bullying, I mean."

Izuku merely shrugged, which only served to make Inko more worried. The two trudged in silence once more.

"We're going to move," Inko blurted out. "And we can enroll you in online school if you want. You're smart enough you could probably finish early. I'm sorry I didn't see it until now, Izuku, but you've been living the wrong life. I know my son, and he's not meant to waste away being bullied. My son is the kindest, bravest person in the world and he's meant for a life where his smile makes other people feel better. Whatever you decide to do, Izuku, I fully support you."

Tears were slipping down the woman's cheeks as she made her bold declaration. He didn't know when it had happened, but tears were slipping down Izuku's cheeks as well. The first emotion he'd felt in hours sparked in his mind and then he was flinging himself at his mother, sobbing.

"I'm never going to be a hero," Izuku sobbed, clutching Inko even tighter.

"You're already a hero," Inko said though tears of her own. "You're my hero and so much more. One day you'll see what I see."

* * *

 **A/N: Hello from college, everyone! I'm really excited about this story and I'm incredibly encouraged by the response I've already gotten for it! Please leave a review if you feel so inclined, they let me know if I'm writing well and that the story is interesting!**


	3. Chapter 3

True to Inko's word, the family of two soon moved to a modest house on the other side of town. It was closer to where Inko worked, a quieter neighborhood, and most importantly it was free of one Bakugou Katsuki.

Once Izuku had recovered mentally and physically, he began online school and found that he enjoyed it immensely. Izuku had always loved learning, but it was indescribably better when it was unhindered by classmates who didn't feel he belonged. It was also an online school that allowed the students to set their own pace, and as such Izuku blew through it in record time. Now he could fixate on any given subject he wished and learn absolutely everything that the school's database had to offer, all without being called a freak.

For once, life was peaceful. Any issues with Kacchan had been buried-definitely unresolved, but stamped down until they couldn't bother Izuku. Inko had wanted to take the Bakugou family to court, but Izuku had talked her out of it. He had never told his mother the _full_ extent of the bullying, so he was able to downplay a lot of it. Strangely enough, he had forgiven the boy for everything, and he just couldn't shake the feeling that Kacchan had the potential to be a great hero one day. Even if that wasn't Izuku's future, he didn't want to take the chance away from his former friend.

As much as Izuku knew that Kacchan could be good, he didn't trust it to just _happen_. Izuku would be watching his hero career closely. If Kacchan didn't improve himself, he would have Izuku to answer to, one way or another.

Izuku enjoyed his new life, at least for now. He knew the charm of it would likely fade sooner rather than later, and that such a solitary lifestyle would only hurt him in the long run. He had accepted that heroism wasn't a possibility for him, but nothing had diminished the desire to help people. He still felt the overwhelming need to prove the world to be a safe place.

It had been a tough pill to swallow, but now Izuku saw that everything that All Might had said was for the boy's safety in the long run. A part of Izuku's mind whispered that he could've been a hero regardless, but maybe finding a different path wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. He would just have to do some exploration before he decided what that path would be.

As he settled into his new life, Izuku quickly found that if he didn't force himself into some sort of schedule he forgot to eat and sleep. He also figured that blowing through an entire semester of school work in three weeks might not be the healthiest option.

With this in mind, Izuku began working towards being healthier. He had never been very athletically inclined, but he realized that if he were stronger, faster, it would be easier for him to help people in the future. It began with the boy going on runs. At the beginning Izuku felt like he was going to die, but each day he ran a bit farther than the last, and a bit quicker as well.

On one of these runs he came across a dojo that advertised several different fighting styles. Remembering all the times Izuku had felt completely defenseless in his life, the idea of the dojo stuck in his mind. He hesitantly brought it up to his mother, who agreed more readily than Izuku had expected.

A few days later the two Midoriyas walked in to the dojo to find the owner cleaning up after the latest lesson. He was an older man who wore his scars and his wrinkles with equal amounts of pride, a lifetime of fighting evident in his every movement.

Izuku gasped before immediately throwing himself into a bow. "You're the former pro-hero Valiant! It's an honor to meet you, sir!"

The man chuckled, a bit surprised. "It's rare that I meet anyone your age that has even heard of me, let alone recognizes me not in costume. What can I do for you, boy?"

At Inko's nudge, Izuku eased out of his bow, admiration still clear on his face. "I'm Midoriya Izuku, Valiant, sir. I would like to be trained at your dojo - if you're okay with that, that is. If not I'm sure I could find somewhere eventually, but this really is my first-"

The torrent of words calmed when Valiant placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Well, young Midoriya, I'd like to get to know you a bit and then we can decide if my dojo would be a good fit for you."

Gesturing for the two to follow him, Valiant led the way to a small office, where the former pro hero listened to Izuku stammer about himself, offering complete, if somewhat rambling answers. Overall, though, Valiant couldn't help but be impressed with this boy's character and determination, as well as his mind.

"I would love to take you on as one of my students, young Midoriya. For training purposes, though, I need to know what your quirk is," Valiant said, absentmindedly beginning paperwork for the boy.

At the man's words though, both Midoriyas froze in place, afraid of the reaction their answer would provoke. In a small, quivering voice, Izuku nearly whispered, "I'm quirkless."

Valiant's years of training as a pro had taught the man how to disguise his emotions, so there was no surprise on his face when Izuku spoke up. He had fully expected a mental quirk of some kind with how perceptive the child was, but if anything he was _more_ intrigued after learning that Izuku was quirkless.

Clearing his throat, he said, "That makes my job, easier. It can be difficult to find a fighting style to suit a certain quirk, but this means that you have an entire world of possibilities before you."

It warmed Valiant's heart to see his newest student straighten up, beaming brighter than the sun itself. But the image of Izuku's tragic resignation to his fate made the retired pro feel like his heart was in a vice grip, squeezing tighter than he thought possible.

When a knock sounded at the door, Valiant abruptly realized what time it was. His interview with Midoriya had taken longer than necessary, and now his next student was here for his private lesson.

Rising from his seat, Valiant opened the door to his office. "Thank you for being patient, Ojiro. I would like you to meet my newest student, Midoriya Izuku."

Izuku craned his neck to see the boy around the teacher, a blond boy that looked overwhelmingly kind. He would have been a bit plain looking if it weren't for his massive tail. He immediately smiled at Izuku. "It's nice to meet you, Midoriya. Is this your first time in martial arts?" At Izuku's nod, the boy said, "Well, I look forward to sparring with you."

The smaller boy nodded, inwardly lamenting that Ojiro would likely refuse to talk to him once he found out that Izuku was quirkless. Until that day, however, he planned to bask in the boy's kindness as long as it lasted.

Soon enough, Izuku's martial arts lessons became a bright spot in his weeks. Valiant's quirk was a slight enhancement of his physical abilities. He was stronger, more flexible and dexterous than the average human being, but it was just barely beyond what a quirkless person could achieve. Valiant had never been in the top few heroes, but he had been successful, and Izuku had always respected the man. (He had also followed Valiant's hero career closely, as the man was as close to a quirkless hero as Izuku had ever found.)

Just as Izuku respected his teacher, the man grew to respect the boy in return. He had instantly been drawn in by how bright and genuine Midoriya was. However, Valiant was consistently impressed by how the boy managed to excel at everything he was shown, not through some innate ability, but because the boy tirelessly practiced everything he was shown.

Midoriya had a whole host of others who he impressed as well. In order to give his students variety, Valiant often brought in other instructors to introduce different fighting styles. Many of these were pro heroes who Valiant had helped train years ago, and almost every instructor asked about Midoriya. Gunhead was especially impressed by the boy. That was not to mention the other students, who were inspired by the boy's determination and drawn in by his kindness.

And so it was in Valiant's dojo that Izuku slowly found a place to be comfortable, a place to _belong._ The day that Izuku had dreaded came and passed without incident, the other students barely reacting to the fact that Izuku was quirkless. Ojiro, Izuku's closest new friend, especially didn't care, he had merely shrugged and said, "I hope you don't expect me to go easy on you, because I won't." And true to his words, Ojiro had held nothing back, leading to a particularly spectacular loss.

The new neighborhood also quickly adopted the mother and son. Inko made the best food and gave freely, and Izuku could usually be found offering help of some kind, be it weeking Mrs. Tachibana's flower beds or watching Mrs. Kyoto's children when she needed to run to the grocery store.

But Izuku wanted _more._ He felt like there was _something_ he needed to be working towards, and the feeling haunted him day and night. One day a few weeks into his new training, the feeling was almost tangible within Izuku, distracting him as he sparred with Ojiro, and the distraction was enough that Izuku didn't see the tail coming, leaving the green-haired boy sprawled on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

The amicable blond immediately dropped his fighting stance. "Are you okay, Midoriya? You normally see that move coming from a mile away."

Izuku stoved himself to his feet with a groan. "I'm fine, just a little distracted."

"Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's fine. I'm actually happy lately, like happier than I've ever been. Things are really good right now." Izuku smiled bitterly. "I just… The U.A. entrance exams are soon, right? When I was younger that was my dream."

"Midoriya, I'm so sorry, I didn't know. But you could probably still-"

"I'm fine, Ojiro. That dream is officially dead. I just miss the sense of purpose it gave me, you know? I know I want to do something in life that helps people, I just don't know what."

After thinking a moment, Ojiro said, "You know, Midoriya, I saw something about EMT classes being offered a few blocks away. It's probably not what you want to do with the rest of your life, but you would be learning valuable skills that would make you more equipped to help people."

As Izuku pondered his friend's words, he visibly brightened. "That's a great idea, Ojiro! I'll have to look into that tonight! And I probably won't see you again until after it's over, so good luck on U.A.'s entrance exam. I know you'll do fantastic!"

Valiant shook his head as his two favorite students parted ways. Those boys were good for one another, they each balanced the other out. Somehow Ojiro was able to slow Midoriya's hectic mind so that others could understand what the boy was trying to say to others, and Midoriya brought Ojiro further out of his shell than ever before. The two were on different paths in life, but Valiant could feel that they were both pursuing greatness.

That night Izuku brought up the possibility of EMT classes to Inko, and once more the mother was easily persuaded. It was rare enough that Izuku asked for anything, so when he did Inko always found a way to make things happen. Besides, medical knowledge was always a good thing to have. The two decided that they would go to get the necessary paperwork and such tomorrow afternoon, once Inko was off of work.

The next morning as Izuku was on his run, he contemplated how much life could change in ten months. He had slowed down his studies to a more casual pace, and as such he was almost finished with the schoolwork for his first year of highschool. Once Izuku had a little more direction on what he wanted to do as a career, he calculated that he could have at least one college degree finished by the time that most kids his age were graduating high school. His prospects were infinitely better than they had during his time in middle school, and Izuku was starting to believe that he might be able to make something of himself after all, with or without a quirk.

The biggest change, however, was that he was happy. Every step that he took was a step closer to helping people. He had friends now, and teachers that legitimately cared about him. Izuku's happy train of thought was not to last, however.

He was first alerted by a tiny cry of distress that he almost didn't notice. Cautiously halting, Izuku monitored the area around him. He was in a less familiar part of town, an old neighborhood that was largely abandoned. In fact, aside from the distress call, Izuku didn't see any evidence of any other life.

Trying to get his breathing under control, Izuku heard yet another sharp cry, making it easier to trace the sound. As Izuku crept towards the alleyway he suspected was the source of the sound, a rough voice growled, "Shut up! You know this is your home now."

A child's wailing nearly stopped Izuku's heart, but it also covered the sound of his approach. Peering around the corner, Izuku found a large cardboard box that hosted a multitude of stained rags that resembled a sort of nest. Cans and plastic food packaging littered the ground, and a man with matted hair stood with his back to Izuku, looming over an only marginally cleaner child.

"I want to go home," the girl cried, her tears making tracks in the dirt that was caked on her face.

Izuku started in surprise - he recognized the girl! She had been a hot topic on the news for the past two days because she had mysteriously gone missing, suspected to be kidnapped. There were no witnesses to it and no leads on the disappearance. The news had proclaimed that the search for the child was beginning to look hopeless that very morning. But here she was, living in an alleyway in an abandoned part of town.

His mind was running a million miles per minute. Izuku knew he should call the police, but he couldn't be overheard, and he _refused_ to take his eyes off of the child. She had suffered enough already.

All of Izuku's hastily thought-up plans were for naught, however, as the captor, enraged with the girl's crying, moved to slap the girl. Unable to stop himself, almost unaware he had even moved, Izuku jolted forward, catching the man's hand before it was able to make contact. In a practiced gesture, Izuku twisted the man's hand behind his back with as much force as the boy could muster.

Initially the man yelped in pain, but it didn't take him long to recover. While Izuku had been training conscientiously, form lost out to sheer strength when the man brutally slammed Izuku into the brick wall of the alley. Stars dotted his vision as he let go of the man's arm solely from pain, and Izuku barely registered the meaty fingers that wrapped around his throat. "Listen here, kid," the man growled. "You're going to leave and forget that you ever saw us if you want to live. Got it?"

Izuku's eyes focused on the little girl, who was sobbing now, pleading, "Please, I promise I'll be good. I just want to see Momma again."

He was aware that his breathing was becoming more and more shallow as those fingers pressed harder and harder on his throat. Feeling faint, Izuku realized that he may have had technique on his side, but the man undeniably had size, experience, and strength on his side.

"So, are you going to walk away?" the man demanded, his fingers seemingly prepared to crush Izuku's esophagus.

Out of desperation Izuku nodded frantically, his fingers clawing at the man's hands. When they did loosen, Izuku gasped, drawing in all the air he could take in. Falling limply to the ground the small boy coughed, every movement causing more pain.

"Consider yourself lucky," the man said, roughly grasping the girl by her forearm. "And don't bother looking for me. With my quirk I can easily crush your skinny neck, and I won't hesitate. Besides, by now disappearing is my specialty. No one can find me unless I want them to."

Part of Izuku wanted to doubt the man, but he had been able to abduct a child without a single eyewitness. He was shaking, and he knew he couldn't take the man in a real fight. Izuku practiced diligently, but nine months of training could only lend him so much help. If he fought and lost, it would only end up worse for the girl, and possibly with him dead. He only hoped the man wasn't very fast.

Struggling to his feet, Izuku was grateful when the man didn't look back. Taking a deep breath, Izuku geared himself up before pushing himself to run at full speed, ducking down lower to the ground to catch the little girl by her torso, relatively easily ripping her from the man's grasp.

The man shouted in indignant surprise, but Izuku was already sprinting with the girl cradled close to his chest, adrenaline pushing his exhausted legs faster than he'd ever run before. He felt like he couldn't breathe deeply enough and he was feeling a bit light-headed, but still Izuku murmured comforting phrases to the child as he held her even closer, fully aware that the man was gaining on them every second.

Three more blocks. That was all Izuku had to make it, three more blocks and they would be safe.

Ironically, this was the most deserted Izuku had ever seen this part of the city. He had quickly left the abandoned neighborhood behind. Now he was only half a block away from his destination, and there was no one to hear the man's enraged yells or Izuku's cries of help. It was then, when he had momentarily slowed down to turn a corner that he felt a grasping hand barely brush the collar of his shirt.

Yelping at the closeness of the man, Izuku threw himself forward, grateful that the enraged man was too intent on Izuku to realize where they were going. His arms ached from the weight of the child when Izuku crashed through the doors of the local police station. Once in their safe haven, Izuku immediately set the child on the ground for fear of dropping her. It was for the best, as milliseconds later he was tackled to the ground by her captor. Those same crushing hands wrapped around Izuku's neck, and the boy's last fuzzy thoughts were an apology to his mother.

His vision swam in and out of focus as a veritable legion of police officers were surrounding him, taking the man away in handcuffs. Somewhere the girl was crying and the man was yelling and his throat hurt and all the officers were trying to talk to him and-

"Quiet," an authoritative voice rang out, reaching even Izuku. Then someone was helping him into a chair, and the little girl who he had carried was clinging to him, more tears trailing down her cheeks. Then someone else was talking to Izuku, and then the pain lessened. It was still there, but Izuku no longer felt like he was going to pass out, and his mind resumed a fraction of its normal function.

A man in a trenchcoat was looking at Izuku, concerned. "I'm Detective Tsukauchi. I apologize about the chaos, but would you like to tell us what's going on?"

Izuku blinked a few times, his vision still slightly fuzzy. "I'm Midoriya Izuku. I was on a run when I heard… I heard a child in an abandoned part of town. I saw this girl with that man that was attacking me, and she seemed really scared. Then I recognized her as the girl on the news, the one who went missing a few days ago."

Detective Tsukauchi looked up sharply from his notes, and Izuku idly observed that the man would likely have been described as plain-looking, just like Izuku himself. But then the man was talking, and Izuku had to remind himself to listen.

"You mean the girl that disappeared without a trace, Tanaka Kimiko?"

"That's my name," a quivering voice piped up, and every eye turned to the child in Izuku's arms.

"I couldn't remember her name," Izuku said. "But her captor noticed me and attacked, telling me to forget I saw anything. I knew I couldn't fight him, so I grabbed her and ran here." He smiled down at the child that was holding on to him with a death grip. "I know I'm probably in trouble, and it was kind of a stupid move, but I regret nothing."

The detective shut his notebook with a snap. "On the contrary, Midoriya, I want to commend you. You were a hero today, and you should be proud. You exercised your best judgement and because of that I get to call a distraught mother and tell her that Kimiko is okay. And it's all due to a teenage boy."

When the man's words sank in, Izuku's eyes filled with tears. "Really?"

"Absolutely. I need to give your mother a call as well, but before I forget, did you use your quirk at all? I'd hate to have to write you up for illegal quirk use," Tsukauchi said with regret.

"No…" Izuku said slowly. "I'm quirkless." As the words left his mouth, Izuku found himself looking down. He couldn't stomach the thought of seeing the detective's look of pride turn to disappointment as he realized that Izuku was defective, a waste of space.

"That makes things easier, then. Chin up kid, that just makes what you've done even more amazing. If you ever had the inclination, I think you would make an amazing detective."

The last part was added just before Tsukauchi swept out of the room, unaware that he left behind a wide-eyed boy with a growing sense of hope and a new dream blossoming in his hazy mind.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm blown away with how much support and enthusiasm I've gotten for this story! All of your comments have been so kind and excited, it makes me want to write even more! Unfortunately, the chapter after this one may be a bit longer in coming. I have some upcoming exams, and they need to take precedence. The same goes for the next chapter of Arson, for those who follow that. Regardless, I have more of my stories coming, and I'm excited to share them with you! As always, I love to hear from each of you, and constructive criticism is not only appreciated, but encouraged!**

 **fencer29- I have a bad habit of typing my stories after finishing homework, which is usually absurdly late at night (or early morning, depending on how you look at it). Thanks for pointing out my typos so I can fix them sometime! I'm excited to continue on the storyline and reveal all of the things you touched on.**

 **tiguylerobot- I have special things planned for when Inko finally meets All Might. All Might can run, but he can't hide.**

 **Koukatsuno- You don't have to worry about this story being shelved. I'm super excited to write it! I'm glad you like it so far!**


	4. Chapter 4

Kimiko gradually calmed down, flashes of her personality shining out from under her fear and confusion. She listened to the officers and for the most part she did as they asked, but she absolutely refused to move very far from Izuku, who was still dazed, but happy nonetheless.

She was a cute child underneath the dirt, with wide brown eyes that still held too many tears. From what the officers could ascertain, she wasn't very injured, only a handful of scrapes and bruises. Izuku felt an odd protectiveness towards her, but he supposed it made sense that the feeling was foreign- he'd never been able to protect people other than replacing them as a target before. So when a grubby hand anchored itself in Izuku's, he couldn't help but melt a little inside.

Apparently Kimiko loved stories, and so at his prompting she started telling him a rambling tale that could vaguely be recognized as Cinderella. She was in the middle of telling Izuku the details on Cinderella's carriage when the door swung open.

"Where is she? Where's Kimiko?" a frantic voice rang out.

Eyes wide, Kimiko snapped to attention. "Momma?"

A small smile settled on Izuku's lips as he carefully set the child on the ground. He observed as the two rushed towards each other, meeting in the middle of the station in a flurry of hugs and tears, each almost disbelieving that the other was there.

All present police personnel watched, smiling witnesses to the reunion. Many of the officers nodded to Izuku, acknowledging what he had done. Despite the pounding in his head, Izuku couldn't help but grin widely, tears streaming down his face.

Matching tears on her cheeks, Kimiko's mother clutched her daughter with desperation. "Where was she? How did you find my baby?"

Detective Tsukauchi smiled. "You have that boy over there to thank. His name is Midoriya Izuku, and he's the one that found and saved Kimiko."

A gasp came from the doorway. "My Izuku did what?"

It might've all been in his head, but Izuku would have sworn that all of his pain dulled slightly when his mother walked in. Inko immediately rushed to her son, worry etched on every line of her face. "How are you feeling, Izuku? Do you need anything?"

The battered boy shoved himself to his feet, throwing his arms around his mother. "Mom, I can still help people. I want to be a detective."

Inko was clearly surprised, but she merely patted her son's back. "You'll be an amazing detective."

Kimiko's mother walked over to the Midoriyas, Kimiko still tight in her grasp. "I'm so sorry you got hurt, but thank you for protecting my baby. I can never… I just…" The woman promptly burst into tears, losing any semblance of composure. "The police near my house told me to prepare to have her brought back in a body bag. You saved me from planning my daughter's funeral alone."

Unable to help herself, Inko gently embraced the other mother. "It's okay now, your daughter is safe now. I don't know how you've been able to function, I can only imagine how I would feel if my Izuku had been taken."

Kimiko took the opportunity to latch once more onto Izuku's leg, giggling when he ruffled her hair. He turned his attention to her mother once his own mom finally released the emotional woman.

"I'm Tanaka Amaya," Kimiko's mother said with a wobbly smile. "I can never thank you enough for bringing my daughter back to me. I just… I just need to know where and how you found her."

He had the full attention of both mothers, as Inko clearly _needed_ to know what had happened as well. Swallowing, Izuku once more tried to focus his hazy mind. Where to start? "I… I was on a run, and I went farther than usual. I wandered into an abandoned neighborhood when I heard a little kid. I thought that didn't seem right, so I went to investigate. I saw Kimiko and a man that seemed really suspicious and it was obvious that they had been kind of living in this alleyway? After a minute I recognized Kimiko as a missing child, so I knew I had to do something. The man saw me, and we fought. He won, and left me there, but I couldn't just leave her. I'm pretty sure it was all adrenaline, but I got up and grabbed her before he noticed I was there, and then I ran as fast as I could to the police station. I barely made it in the doors and set Kimiko down when he caught up to me."

Inko gently touched the angry bruise marks on Izuku's throat, anger burning in her normally sedate green eyes. In a steely voice, she asked, "Did the police catch the man?"

"They pulled him off of me and cuffed him right then and there."

Amaya bit her lip. "I'm truly sorry that you got hurt, but I'm even more grateful that you saved my daughter. How can I ever repay you?"

Izuku immediately began shaking his head. "You don't need to repay me, I just wanted her to be safe. It must have been so scary for Kimiko, I can't even imagine…"

As he dissolved into a fit of mumbling, Inko and Amaya traded contact information, each promising to keep in touch with the other. Kimiko, however, still hugging Izuku's leg, tugged on the material of his pants to catch his attention. "Big brother?"

Nearly choking, Izuku weakly said, "Yes?"

"Will you visit me? I want to see you again."

Looking into those wide brown eyes, Izuku found himself crouching down next to her and saying, "Yes, of course I will!"

And with those words, it was inevitable; both of these small families were inextricably tied together. It wasn't long after that Kimiko had to be questioned herself, now that she was calm enough to be questioned, and the Tanakas left after a last embrace filled with tears.

Both Midoriyas were holding back tears of their own, but Izuku felt like he was going to pass out. Inko noticed and pulled the nearest police officer aside. "My son needs to see a doctor. Can we leave yet?"

"I believe Detective Tsukauchi already got his testimony, and we have his contact information. He should be good to go," the police officer said. "In fact, I'll take you myself, if you would like."

"Oh, we would hate to be a bother," Inko said nervously.

"It's no trouble at all. In fact, you'll be doing me a favor. I get bragging rights for helping the local hero," the officer said with a bright smile. "I'm Officer Saito, by the way. It's a privilege to meet you, Midoriya."

Izuku started to follow his mother and the officer to the car, but something was bothering his hazy mind. Hospital… Medicine… Then he gasped. "Mom, today's the last day to sign up for those EMT classes! They're only open till five!"

"You want to take EMT classes, kid?" Officer Saito asked curiously.

Izuku nodded vehemently. "I want to be able to help as many people as I can."

"Well you're in luck. They had to relocate those classes to our spare room here at the station because the normal building is getting renovated. If you leave the paperwork with us, we'll make sure it gets where it needs to be," Saito said with another bright smile. She disappeared into the precinct and reappeared with the necessary form and a pen. It barely took a minute for Izuku and Inko to fill everything out, and then Saito rushed into what Izuku suspected was Detective Tsukauchi's office.

(Days later Izuku would be thrilled to receive an email accepting him into the course. What he would never know, however, was that he had been accepted under duress - the instructor had hesitated allowing in a fifteen-year-old, but a smiling detective had kindly informed her that if Izuku was denied, they would have to find somewhere else to hold the class.)

Izuku had been smiling, excited at the prospect of EMT training when his eyes rolled in the back of his head and his knees buckled. He was only saved from hitting the ground _hard_ when Officer Saito stepped in at the last moment, catching his limp body thanks to her stellar reflexes.

Saito cursed. "He must have some internal bleeding. Let's go."

Inko helped load her son into the police car, with barely enough time for her to climb in herself before it sped off. The sound of sirens filled the air as Saito tore across the city in record time.

Izuku drifted in and out of consciousness, vaguely aware of being carried. Then he was on a bed with a familiar doctor talking to his mom and Officer Saito. Pieces of the conversation made it through the haze of his mind, but he didn't have the mental clarity to piece it into a clear scenario - that would come later.

"- know if this is from bullying again?"

"He's been in the hospital for bullying? Do you have names?"

"-fractured ribs and nasty concussion, he passed out because-"

"- stay awake?"

"Exhaustion, I think. Make sure-"

Then even the voices faded to nothingness, and for once Izuku didn't even dream. Sleep was a comforting absence of everything until he woke naturally, immediately greeted by each and every one of his aches and pains. He had no way of knowing how much time had passed, or even what year it currently was. When he groaned, there was a series of frantic footsteps before his bedroom door burst open. "Izuku, baby, how are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a bus," he said, cracking a small smile. "But pretty good, all things considered." Grunting, the boy sat up, swinging his legs out of the bed.

"Luckily there was a nurse with a minor healing quirk working yesterday. She was able to shorten your recovery time to a few days instead of a few weeks. Oh, and Valiant still wants you to come to the dojo today. He said you could work on meditation," Inko said. "Do you want me to stay home with you? I can call into work."

"No, I'll be fine, Mom," Izuku promised. "I do feel a lot better." He refused to make her guilty over _his_ guilt at the prospect of making her miss work.

"If you're sure, Izuku. Oh, the doctor's orders are that you're not allowed to do anything more physically demanding than walk a few blocks at a time. I will find out if you push yourself, and I will let Valiant decide what to do with you," Inko warned before kissing his forehead. "I love you and I'm proud of you."

Taking his mother's words to heart, Izuku didn't do anything to push himself. After feeling how his body protested every movement, he knew it wasn't wise to tempt fate. Instead, he pushed his brain to the limit.

Izuku calculated that if he really worked hard, he could finish high school in a little under a year. If he started now, he could have a couple degrees in a little over two. Maybe less, if the degrees he had in mind had enough shared classes. In the meantime, he would continue his work at Valiant's dojo and EMT training. He itched to go back and research a multitude of police cases that he had briefly heard of when he was younger, but ultimately ignored because they didn't involve heroes. Now Izuku wanted to know everything, all in the pursuit of becoming the best detective he could.

Plan in place, Izuku lost himself in his schoolwork, only remembering to eat and leave for Martial Arts because of the alarms he had set on his phone. When it was time, Izuku walked leisurely to Valiant's dojo, enjoying the summer day around him. Stepping into the dojo, however, Izuku hadn't expected the chorus of shouts that surrounded him.

"Little Midoriya!"

"It's our hero!"

"Hey kid, can I have your autograph?"

Izuku felt his face blush bright red as he was surrounded by his friends. "H-hey, everyone."

"Give Midoriya space," a gruff voice said. The crowd of boys parted to show Valiant smiling down at this student. "Welcome back my boy. As the others warm up, I would like to speak with you."

Almost magically the other boys fell into their spots, running through the actions that were second nature to them by now. Izuku followed Valiant to his office, sitting down at the man's insistence.

The former pro hero smiled at him fondly. "Young Midoriya, do you know why I accepted you as my student? I can see that you don't. When I first met you, I could sense a deep despair, as well as a deep hope. I don't know the full reason for your despair, but I don't need to. You've begun finding yourself, finding your purpose as well as your worth."

"Thank you, sensei," Izuku said, trying with all of his might not to cry.

"Your desire to help others is a noble one, Midoriya. But be careful to help yourself as well. Keep improving so you don't have to be hurt in the process of sparing others. Sometimes wounds are inevitable, but I won't have you destroy yourself."

"Yes, sensei."

"Today you meditate," Valiant said seriously. "I sense you still hold onto an incomplete image of yourself. Come to terms with who Midoriya Izuku is. You are quirkless, yes, but you are so much more."

Now Izuku nodded, tears finally escaping. "Yes, sensei."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the wait on this one! Midterms are approaching, and I have an absurd amount of schoolwork. I feel like this chapter is not my finest, but it's kind of exposition, so I'll let it slide. The pacing on this story is a little tricky, so let me know what you think! As always, knowing that people are reading is an inspiration to write. I really appreciate everyone that comments, it gives me more motivation!**


	5. Chapter 5

"Midoriya, wait!"

Izuku stopped, turning to find a friendly face pursuing him. "Oh, Ojiro! I forgot to ask you how the entrance exam went!"

The quiet blond moved in next to Izuku with a smile. "It went better than I expected. Now I just have to wait for my results."

"I'm sure you got in, you're amazing!" Izuku exclaimed.

"I don't know, there were some amazing quirks. I thought I was doing okay, but there was this kid with an explosion quirk that took out so many robots that the rest of us almost couldn't find any to fight." Ojiro smiled a little sadly. "I knew I wasn't going to be the best, I just hope I did well enough to get in."

"What's done is done, young Ojiro. I'm sure you conducted yourself with honor," Valiant said, appearing in the doorway of the dojo. "You as well, young Midoriya. Both of you go home, rest. You've earned it."

As the two boys walked home, a few blocks away one Detective Tsukauchi sat in his office, rubbing his eyes from the mound of paperwork that sat in front of him. With a sigh, he set down the paperwork and started clicking through the news, looking for the latest events All Might had been involved in. The announcement that the Number One Hero was going to be a teacher at U.A. had overshadowed all other news, including the recent kidnapping and recovery of Tanaka Kimiko.

Toshinori's face filled the screen again and again, similar stories of the blond's bravery and heroism filtering through. It was paranoia that led Naomasa to periodically check the news to see that his good friend's secret was secure. He wanted to protect Toshinori, yes, but it was also a matter of national security.

He didn't know what made him do it, but something possessed Naomasa to click on a video from _months_ ago. It was a video of Toshinori saving a boy from a sludge villain. Tsukauchi had been particularly busy with a case at that time, so he hadn't watched the video very closely.

The video opened with the image of a blond kid struggling in the grasp of the sludge villain while a number of pro heroes hung back, looking helpless. Somewhere behind the camera there was a scuffle and then a flash of green darted towards the villain, a scrawny boy flinging an oversized backpack directly into the villain's face.

Naomasa paused the video with shaking hands, staring at the screen. Slowly standing, he slipped out of his office. "Saito, Nakamura, I need an opinion on something."

"Whatcha got, boss?" Saito asked, immediately snapping to attention.

"Just come watch this."

The two officers shuffled in, crowding around the computer where the detective had started the video over.

"I remember this," Nakamura said. "All Might saves the kid, but wasn't there another…"

"No. You're kidding," Saito whispered. "It can't be."

"Thank goodness, I'm not crazy. You see Midoriya too?" Tsukauchi asked.

"We need to train that kid and give him a badge," Nakamura said. "He's going to be amazing."

"Why don't we?" Saito said playfully. "They let baby heroes have provisional licenses, why not us too?"

She had asked the question in jest, but Tsukauchi froze in place, his mind racing. "A provisional officer… I have some paperwork to do," he said, shooing the other to away. Picking up the phone, once the other person answered, he said, "It's Detective Tsukauchi. Who would I have to talk to about potentially begin a new program?"

Days later found the Midoriya family in Izuku's room at an hour yet untouched by the son. However, both Midoriyas were wide awake, and Inko stared intently at the screen of her son's laptop. "And you swear you didn't pull any all-nighters?"

"Just the one," Izuku swore, his smile blinding.

"And you haven't missed your Martial Arts of your EMT classes?"

"Not a single one!" he chirped. "Oh, by the way, tomorrow Gunhead is teaching the class, and Valiant told me that he wanted me to have a session with just Gunhead and Ojiro, so I'll probably be home late."

His mother's green eyes were still fixed on the computer screen where two emails were displayed side-by-side. One was a notification of Izuku's completion of his first year in highschool, barely a week into what would have been his first semester. The second was an acceptance letter to Japan's most prestigious college- as well as a full scholarship. They had been particularly impressed by Izuku's quirk analysis, and when they had learned his age, the head of the Quirk Studies department had demanded that the school accept Izuku and made sure he attended, whatever the cost.

They would let Izuku have as many majors as he wanted, provided that one of them was Quirk Studies. He could complete almost all of his work online, he just had to visit the actual campus every few weeks - the university would even pay for his commute to Hosu.

With this, another piece fell into Izuku's plan. He was finished with EMT training, today was just a ceremony of sorts to celebrate their completion. He had to admit he was a little sad it would be over. He had started off on the wrong foot with his instructor for some reason, but after enough time the two came to a mutual respect. However, the worst part of his class being over was that he no longer had a reason to stop by the Police Station.

Maybe he could bring taiyaki for the entire station as a thank you for so man things. He could then casually bring up the idea of observing the job of a police officer. (After all, he couldn't make a habit of showing up at crime scenes like he had with villain fights. At this point all of the police officers knew him, and they would reprimand him for not taking his safety into account.)

For the first time in years, Izuku was genuinely excited about his future. "So can I do it, Mom? Can I start going to college?"

Finally pulling her eyes away from the emails, she smiled. "It would be a waste to refuse. Just don't push yourself too hard. Send me that professor's email, I'll set up a meeting with him so we can get paperwork done and talk over all the details."

Izuku beamed, thrilled beyond words.

"Today is your EMT training certification, isn't it? My little boy, a certified EMT at fifteen years old. Izuku, I'm so proud," Inko said, tears filling her eyes. "I wish I could make it to the ceremony. I could take off work if you wanted…"

"No, it's fine. I have people to support me now, and I already know that you support me. Today is a really important day at work for you, so good luck! It's my turn to support you," Izuku said, hugging his mother tightly. "Have a good day at work!"

Kissing his forehead, Inko left, letting his door quietly close behind her. He waited a few moments before Izuku closed both emails, opening a folder on his laptop, a nagging feeling plaguing him. It was early, really early - he had already been on a run, and the sun had yet to rise.

Dialing a number that was becoming more and more familiar, anxiety fluttered in his stomach. The police officers had been nothing but kind to him, but he didn't know if he could handle having his new dream crushed just like his old one.

"Musutafu Police station, Officer Sasaki speaking. What can I do for you today?"

Swallowing thickly, Izuku stammered, "H-Hi, this is Midoriya Izuku."

"Little Midoriya! How are you?"

"Fine, I just… I was looking at some old news articles and I noticed a pattern. There are three villains that have escaped being caught until now, and based on their old patterns, I think they're going to strike today." That said, Izuku held his breath, terrified of how Saito was going to react.

He held a deep respect for the officer, and he knew he couldn't take it if she laughed him off.

"Explain further, little Midoriya. Wait, let me get the Detective on the line…" Fainter, as if Sasaki was holding the phone away from her mouth, he heard, "Naomasa! Your son is on the line with important information."

"What are you talking about, I don't have-"

"Midoriya is waiting!"

Almost immediately the other line picked up. "Detective Tsukauchi speaking."

And so Izuku blurted out all of his suspicions and evidence, including who the villains were, where they were most likely to be, and the best way to detain them.

"Which heroes would you recommend us calling in?" the detective asked.

Izuku thought for a moment. "Kamui Woods for the first, then Mount Lady for the second, and for the last… Midnight. They're villains that work together, so even though their attacks would be separate, they would be coordinated with one another. It's best to have heroes that can capture them quickly."

"Thanks for calling in, Midoriya. You've been a huge help," the detective said, before hanging up.

While Izuku buried himself in schoolwork, Detective Tsukauchi had been busy single-handedly setting up a course and test for provisional police badges. Hearing the boy's deductions validated Tsukauchi's efforts.

Looking at the evidence Midoriya had laid out, Tsukauchi could kick himself for how obvious it all was. Except it wasn't. Even with years of experience and a degree in criminology, Tsukauchi didn't think he could have put all of this together.

"Contact the heroes he mentioned, Sasaki," Tsukauchi ordered. "I'll contact the police stations in charge of those areas. When you're done, call in Kondo and set up a surveillance of the third area Midoriya suggested."

"You're really trusting of the imaginings of a fourteen-year-old boy?" Officer Mori asked with a sneer. Mori had slowly been alienating himself from the rest of the police station with his open dislike of Midoriya.

"He's fifteen," Sasaki hissed, jabbing his ribs with an elbow. "Besides, you have to see this kid. He's different than anything you've ever seen."

"You've always been a bleeding heart, Sasaki," he said, slightly glaring at the petite woman.

"No, she's right. Whatever he ends up doing, Midoriya is going to change the world to change the world, and I want to watch it happen," Tsukauchi said, an unusual gleam in his eye. "Now go, our time is limited."

The two officers saluted before leaving, and as Tsukauchi made the phone calls he needed to, he couldn't help but smile to himself.

No one would realize the full ramifications of that day. Detective Tsukauchi had no way of knowing that with those three villains in police custody, his good friend Yagi Toshinori would not expend all of his energy before arriving to the school. In fact, he had enough time to teach Class 1-A, and still time to spare.

There was no way to know of the untold fear and injuries that Class 1-A was spared from, all because the Number One Hero was at the USJ from the very beginning. The main villains escaped, yes, but the whole incident was miniscule compared to what it could have been. Although slightly shaken, the class walked away almost virtually unscathed, and Izuku's new dream seemed that much closer.

Despite everything that could not be known, there were two irrefutable things. The first was that on that day, Midoriya Izuku began to truly accept himself for who and what he was. The second was that this day was the first time Midoriya Izuku met Uraraka Ochako.

* * *

 **A/N: Midterms are almost over, the end is in sight!** **I'm blown away by the response this story has gotten so far, thank you all so much for reading! As always, I write fanfiction as a way to get feedback so I can improve my writing, so let me know what I'm doing right, what I could improve on, you know the drill. I know you're all anxious to see what happens after Chapter 1 (i.e. if Izuku lives, how Inko reacts, etc.), but I've got a few more chapters to really set up the story. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy Izuku's journey to becoming a detective!**


	6. Chapter 6

Ochako took another shuddering breath. It was over, why was she still trembling?

Class 1-A was spread out in front of the USJ while police officers and medical personnel milled around, assessing wounds and taking statements. A sense of chaos still reigned among the students despite Iida's efforts to get them into some semblance of organization. Briefly Uraraka pondered that he would make a good class representative. But that was the only thing that really registered in Ochako's mind - she could barely hear over her racing heart and ragged breathing.

She was startled into awareness, though, when something dropped onto her shoulders, not alarming, but unexpected. She blinked at the orange blanket that now covered her shoulders, then at the boy who stood in front of her.

"I'm sorry to startle you, I tried talking to you earlier, but you weren't responding. You were going into shock." He smiled slightly, running a hand through a forest of green hair. Off in the distance an explosion sounded, a sure sign that Bakugou was fine. The boy in front of her flinched, but he wore an expression of… recognition? Ochako's mind was too addled to properly decipher the boy in front of her.

"You need to sit down, let's go over to the shade," the boy suggested, pointing to the right direction. It was a little cluster of trees that would simultaneously provide shade and block her from the sight of others. It was also still within the boundaries of where they could go, making it the perfect haven.

Maybe the boy had ulterior motives, but Ochako got the sense he was giving her privacy to deal with her emotions, and she was grateful beyond words. It was also hard to believe that this boy could have anything but the best intentions.

At first glance he was around her age, and pretty plain-looking. His hair was messy, and freckles were liberally sprinkled across his skin, but his eyes were a deep green that for whatever reason felt incredibly comfortable to Ochako. She found herself looking into them, blaming it all on the shock.

He situated her comfortable on the ground, seemingly not noticing her attention. "Does anything hurt?"

Thinking for a moment, Ochako shakily raised her right arm. "I did something to my wrist. I don't know if it's broken."

The boy gently took the appendage in his hands, gently rolling back her sleeve. "I'm an EMT, by the way. I'm not just some random kid. Your wrist isn't broken, it's just a pretty nasty sprain. Give me a second and I'll…" The boy trailed off, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he procured a fabric bandage, expertly wrapping her fingers with nimble fingers, his lips silently moving. Ochako once again found herself fixated on him, fascinated. As he worked, his face grew more animated, more defined, and it was like she was looking at a completely different person.

When he was finished, Ochako gingerly moved her wrist. "Wow, it almost doesn't hurt at all. Thank you!"

"It's no problem. It was also probably unnecessary, someone like Recovery Girl will probably heal it in a matter of seconds," the boy mumbled. "Does anything else hurt?"

Ochako smiled with a false brightness. "I'm fine."

She expected that to be the end of things, but it wasn't. Midoriya cocked his head to the side, looking at her intently. "But you're not."

That made her reel in shock. Most of the time when Ochako's world was falling apart and she insisted everything was fine, everyone believed her - including her parents. She was always fine, that was how she dealt with life.

"I know it seems easier to pretend everything is okay and just deal with it alone, but it's not. That's actually something I just learned recently. You just went through something traumatic, you can admit that you're not okay. I don't think any less of you," he said, that kind smile laced with untold emotion.

Against her will, Ochako's eyes filled with tears. Before her mind could stop her, she threw herself at the boy, needing to be near someone that was alive. "They wa-wanted to kill us," she sobbed, wiping her tears with the orange blanket. It was only slightly scratchy against her skin. "There were so many of them, and they were all ready to kill us."

"You're safe now," the boy murmured. "They're gone now and your whole class is safe."

The two stayed like that for a while longer, Ochako sobbing to a total stranger. Finally she pulled away, once again wiping away her tears. He smiled at her, a kind smile that he clearly had no idea of how beautiful it was.

"Little Midoriya, stop flirting back there," an energetic voice called before a police officer appeared between the trees. She was tall with long dark hair pulled into a ponytail, and piercing orange eyes.

The boy immediately shoved himself backwards, his face instantly burning bright red. "Saito, I wasn't f-flirting," he stammered. "She sp-sprained her wrist."

Saito's lips quirked up in amusement. She had observed Little Midoriya for a while before she announced her presence. The whole time he had been totally concentrated, probably not even noticing that the person he'd been helping was a girl. He had handled her emotions like a pro, better than some seasoned cops Saito knew. But now that the poor boy was done, it had registered that a cute girl was sitting in front of him, and little Midoriya was about to mentally shut down.

Taking pity on him, Saito said, "Go on, Little Midoriya. I need to get her statement, so you can go and-"

"No!" the girl nearly shouted, grabbing the boy's arm unconsciously. "I mean… can he stay? I just… He's comforting."

Izuku obediently sat down next to the girl, face still warm. He studiously didn't look at her- he didn't think he could meet her eyes ever again, especially not after Saito's comment.

"Remember, this is all confidential, Midoriya," Saito said seriously. "Okay, let's start with you telling me your name, and then you can tell me what happened today."

"My name is Uraraka Ochako," she said, swallowing thickly. "I… It was a surprise, we came to the USJ for rescue training with Mr. Aizawa, Thirteen, and All Might."

Saito noticed how Midoriya winced at the mention of the Number One Hero, and filed the information away for further investigation in the future.

"Before the teachers could tell us what to do there was this weird black mist, and then villains came out of nowhere - there were so many of them. All Might and Mr. Aizawa held off most of them while Thirteen tried to get us out, but the warp gate villain got us and sent us to all different parts of the USJ. I got sent to the earthquake simulation, and there were so many villains. I was there with Tokoyami and Ojiro. Together we stared alive until All Might took care of the big black thing and we were all saved. The hand guy and the mist guy got away though," she said with a frown. "I wasn't very close to the action, so I don't have anything very helpful to say."

"Everything is helpful," Officer Saito said with a kind smile. "I think I'll go find this Ojiro and Tokoyami so I can have all of your statements together. Come along and assess their injuries, Little Midoriya. If they're who I think they are, then they haven't been seen to yet."

When he checked her over one more time, Ochako assured the boy that she was mostly fine now, and she was. But for whatever reason when he left, she found her eyes following the boy instinctively, feeling the slightest bit bereft. Something about the boy fascinated her, and she didn't even know his name.

He chattered about Ojiro to the police officer. Apparently the strange EMT knew one of her classmates? Ochako herself didn't know Ojiro very well, he was one of the more quiet members of the class. He was kind and respectful, but quiet.

Sure enough, the strange boy spoke with Ojiro comfortably as he disinfected a few scrapes, even drawing a laugh out of the other boy. Ochako hadn't known Ojiro very long, but she didn't think she'd ever seen him laugh.

What had the police officer called him? Little Midori? It fit, with eyes and hair, but Ochako doubted it would be helpful in finding the boy again.

After seeing to Ojiro and Tokoyami, from what she could gather, the boy left to report back to Mr. Aizawa. Ochako would never have been able to pick him out if she hadn't been following Midori's destination. He was only briefly slowed when All Might laughed, flinching at the sudden sound. He ducked out of sight, to Ochako's sadness.

"Do you want me to take a look at that arm, dear?" Recovery Girl asked, startling Ochako out of her observations.

The girl unconsciously clutched the wrist to her chest, taking comfort in the bandage wrapped around it. "The EMT cleared me. If it bothers me tomorrow I'll come see you. Right now I'm sure that others need you more.'

Recovery Girl nodded, glancing at the bandage wrapped around her wrist. "He's a capable one, it seems, Efficient too. I'm of half a mind to give him some medical field training. A highly unusual boy."

* * *

 **A/N: We're changing things up a little bit in this chapter with Uraraka's perspective! I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. To clear up a little confusion from last chapter, Izuku didn't finish all of high school, he only finished the first year. There are programs that you can be enrolled in high school and college simultaneously, which is what I had in mind for Izuku. As always, comment! Let me know what you liked, what could improve... And in the meantime, hopefully the new chapter will be soon!**


	7. Chapter 7

Ojiro smiled at his friend. "Thanks, Midoriya. You're a lifesaver."

"Just remember what sensei said about using your tail like that," Izuku said firmly. "It's flexible, but you have to be careful not to overextend it."

"I know," the blond groaned. "I just got caught up in the moment."

"Do you have any injuries?" Izuku asked the bird-headed boy.

"Naught affects my immortal soul," he intoned.

A bird-like shadow burst from the boy. "He's too embarrassed to tell you that he tripped on some rubble and scraped his hands and knees really badly."

"Dark Shadow," the boy hissed in betrayal, but Izuku was already pulling out bandages and disinfectant.

"Don't worry, I promise I've done things a hundred times more embarrassing. Just ask Ojiro."

"It's true."

Tokoyami allowed Izuku to begin treating his scrapes, glancing between Ojiro and Izuku. "You said your name is Midoriya?"

"Yep."

"You're quite the interesting character. It's rare to find certified medical personnel at such a young age. Yet on top of that, you seem to have already fostered a relationship with the police officers present. I feel that you have quite the tale to tell, Midoriya."

"Oh, it's nothing too interesting, nothing compared to your quirk," Izuku said, watching Dark Shadow with bright eyes. "I've never seen anything like it. Does-"

"Little Midoriya!" one of the officers interrupted, looking incredibly weary. "The detective wants to see you once you're finished here."

He nodded at the officer, an older gentleman with a twinkle in his eye despite how tired he seemed. "I'll go find him, thanks Officer Sohma." Placing the last bandage on Tokoyami's knee, the boy smiled ruefully. "I need to remember I'm here for a job. It was a pleasure meeting you, Tokoyami. If we ever meet when I'm not on duty, I would love to ask you about your quirk. Ojiro, see you tomorrow."

"Bye!"

Ojiro and Tokoyami watched silently as Midoriya left to seek out the detective, pausing only to hunt down a blanket so Hagakure had something to wear other than her gloves and shoes. He was making a beeline for the detective when he spotted Todoroki attempting to dress his own wounds.

"What an interesting specimen of light," the bird-headed boy said, red eyes fixed on the green-haired one.

"Yeah, you could say that," Ojiro said, his lips upturned as he watched his friend.

"What do you think you're doing?" Izuku nearly screeched at Todoroki.

"I'm applying bandages," the boy said with no emotion whatsoever.

"By yourself? You just went through a traumatic experience and you're surrounded by trained medical personnel," Izuku lectured, taking the bandages out of the boy's hand. He carefully unravelled what had already been wrapped. "Wrapping something like this properly is almost impossible to do on your own."

"I'll be fine either way, I'm going to see Recovery Girl any minute now."

"You can't always rely on healing quirks. Recovery Girl won't always be there, you need to…" Izuku trailed off, examining the boy's arms. "You're covered in burns and bruises, but there's no way these happened today unless you have some sort of self-healing quirk."

"I never said I got wounded today."

The smaller boy looked into the different-colored eyes, a deep sadness shining in his green ones. He unconsciously patted Todoroki's arm as some sort of gesture of comfort before hardening his mouth in a line. "These are never going to heal properly if you keep wrapping them like this. I'll show you how to do it on yourself, but if you can't do it right, you have to find someone to help you."

Then Izuku was running, finally making it to the detective. He wove around students that were calming down for the most part. Luckily Detective Tsukauchi was out of sight of both All Might and Kachan. Izuku didn't want to keep his presence a secret necessarily, but it was a big day for him. He had just gotten his EMT certification and he was putting it to use for the first time. He didn't want today to be spoiled by either of them.

Detective Tsukauchi was talking to a man with long, wild black hair, apparently almost finished with taking his statement. Izuku found himself staring at the man - he seemed familiar. He was also favoring one of his arms heavily.

The man stopped telling his story, pausing when he noticed Izuku. "Who's the kid?"

"I'm Midoriya Izuku," he said before Tsukauchi could respond for him. Then he caught the barest glimpse of something nestled underneath the man's scarves. "I'm a certified EMT, and you're Eraserhead, aren't you? I hadn't heard you were teaching at U.A. I'm a huge fan, if I weren't on duty I would have probably fainted at this point."

"Midoriya is trustworthy, Aizawa," Tsukauchi promised. "He's the kid who found the Tanaka girl."

"If you insist he's trustworthy, I'll believe you. But that's the extent of my story," the tired teacher said. "If you'll excuse me-"

"Wait!" Izuku said. "You need someone to see to your arm. I understand if you don't want me to, but it needs attention."

Eraserhead stared Izuku down. "My arm?"

"Yeah, it looks like some sort of disintegration quirk? You look dead on your feet, so Recovery Girl can't heal it all right now, but if you don't have something to compress the damaged portion, your nerves may never fully recover."

The pro hero blinked at the deluge of information before offering his arm. "Go for it, kid."

Izuku procured a small roll of gauze, nimble fingers wrapping the man's wounded elbow with just the right amount of tension. While the teen worked, Eraserhead was contemplative. "How did you know it was a disintegration quirk?"

"What? Oh, the damage pattern of your sleeve. Fabric doesn't just do that. I couldn't see your elbow because of the shadow your sleeve cast, but you gestured awkwardly, so…" he trailed off, physically forcing himself not to mutter in front of Eraserhead. "All finished, but see Recovery Girl after getting some rest."

Eraserhead was staring at him intently. "Have you ever thought about becoming a hero?"

The boy smiled bittersweetly. "It was all I dreamed about when I was younger. But I"m quirkless, and I was told by a certain pro that it was impossible." His smile quivered, the hurt obviously still fresh. "I'm aiming to become a detective instead. I've found that they help people even more than heroes sometimes, and they don't deal with all of the attention, which is really appealing."

Aizawa looked Izuku up and down, mentally evaluating him. "Kid, you could've done it. If you ever change your mind, let me know. You've got a good head on your shoulders and dedication."

Izuku sniffed, swiping at some stray tears. "That means a lot, Eraserhead. But for now I'm more than happy with the path I'm on. Maybe we'll even work together in the future. Also, one of your students, the short boy with purple hair? I noticed he was… stuck to Officer Sasaki. If you want your student alive, you'll want to take care of the… situation."

Tsukauchi paled. "Sasaki has a reputation for breaking limbs for unwanted advances."

Eraserhead sighed, a deep, bone-weary sigh. "I'll be back."

Wide green eyes turned to Tsukauchi. "What did you need, Detective?"

"You know you can just call me Tsukauchi, Midoriya," he said, pausing briefly. "You still want to be a detective, don't you?"

Izuku was practically bouncing. "Absolutely!"

"I've got an… opportunity for you," the detective said carefully. "We're beginning a new program, a provisional police officer system. It's a bit like the provisional hero licenses, you would go through the Police Academy and afterward you would have the same authority as a rookie police officer."

"Really? I hadn't heard of this."

"It was just barely approved," Tsukauchi said, suddenly nervous for some reason. "And if you're willing, we'd like you to be our first provisional police officer."

The boy's mouth fell open and stayed that way until more voices broke into the conversation.

"You already told him? Dang it Tsukauchi, we agreed you would wait until we were all here!"

"No, you agreed to that, Saito. You knew there was a good chance that Midoriya would leave before we gathered everyone together."

"I think you broke our boy, Detective."

Izuku finally closed his mouth, looking around at all of the police officers surrounding him. Tears were already streaming down his face. "I can really be one of you?"

Saito ruffled his hair. "You were already one of us, Little Midoriya. We were all panicking a bit, we didn't know when we would be able to see you once your EMT class finished."

"Just to be clear, they worried. I wanted you gone," Mori said sourly.

"That's true, I apologize for briefly forgetting that you're the worst, Mori," Saito said with a smile. "But you still have one more statement to get, right? You were in charge of getting it from that kid with the electric quirk."

"What? He's mentally gone, there's no way-"

"You two should get along famously then!" Saito said, bodily shoving the man away.

Izuku, still crying, smiled at the officers surrounding him. "Thank you. Thank you all."

Sasaki coalesced on the group, muttering, "Stupid grape kid, next time I'll… Wait, Little Midoriya is crying? You told him without me? I thought we were going to wait!"

* * *

 **A/N: I'm back! Honestly everyone, I'm totally blown away by the response this story is getting. Things are going to start moving a little faster now, and I'm excited to see the reactions! Obviously the police officers are going to be a big part of the story, so would it be helpful for you guys if I were to do little character bios on different officers at the end of chapters? Let me know! As always, comments and constructive criticism are welcomed!**


	8. Chapter 8

What Inko had feared would be a lonely, isolated life for her son turned out to be more full than she could have ever imagined. Izuku seemed to make friends daily, coming home with excited exhaustion and stories upon stories to tell.

Unsurprisingly, Izuku currently sat at the top of his class in the Police Academy. He was still working through highschool at an absurd pace, actually ahead of schedule, leaving him more time to work on him college classes. He still always made time for Martial Arts - the dojo was essentially another family to Izuku, just like the Police Station.

Inko couldn't be more glad that they had chosen this rather unconventional lifestyle. Her baby was happy again, and he was surrounded by people who saw more than his quirklessness. And more were coming every day. It seemed that Izuku was always asking permission to help someone with something, or someone wanted to give him additional training of some sort. She'd already gotten phone calls from Recovery Girl and Eraserhead separately asking her permission for training. It seemed Recovery Girl had her heart set on training Izuku to be a field medic, while Eraserhead had only met Izuku briefly, but had been vastly impressed. He wanted to supplement Izuku's martial arts training, apparently horrified at the thought of his potential being wasted.

She was grateful to the two beyond words, especially as they had each promised to train Izuku's self-sacrificing streak out of him, whatever Tsukauchi didn't manage to. She hadn't told him about the offers yet, she wanted it to be a surprise for her boy. He deserved all of the happiness life could afford him.

Everyone wanted a hand in helping Izuku, and it blindsided the little Midoriya family.

"Mom," Izuku called from another room. It sounded like he was on the phone. "Gunhead wonders if I can help him train the hero students with him on Monday."

"Aren't you leaving for Hosu on Monday?"

"This would be Monday morning, I could catch the train to Hosu right afterwards," Izuku explained. "Oh, and Detective Tsukauchi wanted me to ask you if it would be okay if I spend some of my spare time with the Hosu police. Apparently that's where the police chief that approved the provisional program is based."

"Is it okay with Dr. Meiji?"

"He said as long as he gets me in the mornings that's fine. He teaches in the afternoon, so that's when I would be with the police."

Inko considered it for a moment. "It's fine with me as long as you promise not to burn yourself out."

"I promise!"

"Make sure to go to bed early tonight!" Inko warned. "Your week is going to be extra busy."

"Of course!" He mumbled something into the phone, probably telling Gunhead that he could help out, then he hung up. "I'm going for a run now, Mom!"

Running was becoming one of Izuku's favorite pastimes. It was one of the few things that could clear his head and help him begin to make sense of the madness that was his life.

He hadn't been running for long when he realized he wasn't alone. A few blocks down was a familiar-looking boy huffing and puffing much the same way he had when he first started running. Despite the sweat running down the boy's face, however, his purple hair still managed to stand almost straight up.

Izuku slowed, trying to place the boy - then it clicked. "You're one of the finalists from the U.A. Sports Festival! Your matches were fascinating!"

The boy stopped, breathing heavily. However, he still managed to look supremely unimpressed. "Nice joke."

"No, no it's not a joke!" Izuku said frantically. "I know some people might find your quirk unsettling, but the police station and I think it's perfect for heroism! It's discreet, swift, and it will prevent so much damage!"

The boy raised an eyebrow. "The police station?"

"Oh! I'm Midoriya Izuku, and I'm currently training to get a provisional police badge. I spend a lot of time at the police station because of that, so I know the police officers pretty well," Izuku said, rubbing the back of his head.

Catching his breath, the boy regarded Izuku critically. "You're strange."

"I get that a lot. I'm curious, did you have a plan of what to do if someone had figured out your quirk?"

"Not really. But one of the teachers reached out to me and offered to train me in hand-to-hand combat."

"Awesome! If you ever want to spar, I go to Valiant's dojo a few blocks that way. I've already learned a lot from him."

The boy considered for a moment before breaking back into a light jog. Izuku took this as an invitation to join the boy and began to jog beside him. He couldn't tell if he was being annoying or not until the boy stopped.

"This is my house," he said abruptly enough that Izuku could _feel_ the dismissal. The boy was emotionless as he turned away, but at the door of his house, he paused. "You can call me Shinsou," he said before disappearing through the door.

A grin spread across Izuku's face, and there was a spring in his step during the rest of his run. Apparently this was evident when he walked into the police station. Tamakawa was at the front desk that day, and the serious officer inclined his head to Izuku. "You're looking more excited than usual, Midoriya."

"I just met one of the finalists from the U.A. Sports Festival!" he said excitedly. "His name is Shinsou and he seems really nice."

"You might want to wait to get to know him before you show him your analysis of his quirk," the cat-headed officer counselled. "In fact, that's a good rule of thumb for most people."

Izuku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I guess I do get ahead of myself sometimes."

"Don't worry little Midoriya, we find it endearing," Officer Saito said, materializing to ruffle his hair. "And amazing. Your analysis of my quirk was fascinating to read. I can see why that college professor of yours wants to steal you away from us."

Nakamura smiled. "You're going to be fascinated when Detective Kimura comes back from maternity leave. Her quirk is fascinating."

Saito chuckled darkly. "I've got my welcome back for Kimura all planned. She'll never see it coming."

"She just had a baby, you're not doing anything to Kimura," Nakamura told his partner sternly. "Besides, if you start another prank war in the station, I'm requesting to be transferred."

"But you saw what she did to me before she left!" Saito protested indignantly. "My desk hasn't been the same since."

"There's another detective at this station?" Izuku asked.

"Oh, no one has told you about Kimura? She's the best homicide detective in the city, possibly in all of Japan," Saito said. "Combined with Detective Tsukauchi, our precinct is the best in Musutafu. We were all stationed here because it's one of the safest places in the city. That way it's not so bad when Kimura and Tsukauchi get called to outside cases."

The longer Saito spoke, the brighter grew the stars in Izuku's eyes. "Really? That's amazing!"

"Hey, don't underestimate us, little Midoriya," Officer Sohma warned as he passed, gray eyes playful. "The detectives handpicked the officers - except Mori. The police chief forced him on us to straighten him out."

Mori glared at his partner, pouting. "I was top of my class in the Police Academy, old man."

"So were the rest of us," Nakamura warned.

"And we didn't have such poor scores on cooperation," Saito taunted.

"We have jobs to do," Mori huffed. "We shouldn't be wasting time on some quirkless kid - he's probably not going to make it through the program anyway."

Izuku froze along with everyone else, no longer used to his quirklessness being held against him. The other officers reacted more violently, though it was all haulted by a sudden burst of cold wind burst of cold wind whipping through the room.

Officer Sohma was using his quirk, Icy Gale, to get everyone's attention. "Mori, you're off duty today. Instead you'll be the meter maid."

Mori squawked in indignation. "I'm above jobs like -"

"No, you aren't," Sohma interrupted, his voice as cold as his quirk. "You are a servant of the public, and that means you respect them. Midoriya didn't choose to be quirkless, but he's accomplished amazing things. You were born with some advantages and all you've accomplished today is unsuccessfully bullying a teenager. Think about that while you write tickets."

All present officers glared at Mori as he slunk away, some shame on his face. Saito (as usual) was the first to speak. "Don't listen to anything he says, little Midoriya. You're going to be the best of us all."

A small smile worked its way onto Izuku's face. "You know, I'm actually okay. It didn't really bother me." And it was true. Izuku knew his mom had informed a few of the officers about why they had moved, at least as much information as she had. He had no doubt that if any of them knew the full scope of Kachan's bullying, a head hunt would ensue.

It was heartwarming. In fact, Izuku's eyes were watering - no, now he was officially crying.

Chaos errupted in the station.

"It's okay, Little Midoriya. Don't cry!"

"I'll go punch Mori out for you, will that make you feel better?"

"Wait, are these happy tears? What's going on, Little Midoriya?"

"I'm fine, I promise," Izuku sniffed, swiping at his tears. "I just… Thank you all for helping, and caring. I've never had that before."

Silence fell over the officers as the full implications of his statement sank in. Tsukauchi's office door swung open. "What is going on out her - _why is Midoriya crying?"_ the detective demanded.

"He claims these are happy tears, but the chaos was because Mori was being his usual charming self."

The detective scowled. "If he was insulting Midoriya give him meter maid duties for the week. No cases. Sohma, Tamakawa will be your partner for now instead."

"Understood."

Finally exhaling, Tsukauchi relaxed, smiling at Midoriya. "Come on kid, Tsuramagae wanted me to give you a more detailed idea of what to expect in Hosu."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm absolutely amazed and flattered by the support I've gotten for this fic, thanks to everyone who has followed and reviewed! Sorry for the longer wait on this chapter, I've been working really hard on Arson and I had a HUGE exam that I just took today. For those of you waiting for Arson, it's coming soon, and I hope it's worth the wait. If you haven't already, check out my other story in progress, big things are happening. Also, happy early birthday to Detective Tsukauchi and Recovery Girl, both of their birthdays are April 4!**


	9. Chapter 9

"So I heard whispers about a provisional police officer," Gunhead said as casually as one could in the middle of an intensive sparring session.

Izuku huffed a laugh, barely audible over his panting. "You're not going to distract me." Lightning quick, he blocked the killer strike that would have felled most men. "But I'm not an officer yet, I'm just going through the Police Academy."

Taking a step back, the two fighters circled one another, something predatory in their stances. "I noticed Ojiro wasn't on your list of interns." In the blink of an eye, Izuku lunged for Gunhead, hoping to throw the man off guard.

He should have known it would never word. The pro hero saw it coming a mile away, catching Izuku's arm and using it to fling him onto the mat, his back making an impressively loud slapping noise.

A squeak sounded from the doorway, making both fighters look. A group of kids that Izuku recognized as some of Gunhead's dojo students stood with a few hero students. It was hard to tell since Izuku was looking at them upside down. He narrowed his eyes. The girl in front looked familiar.

It was the girl Saito and Sasaki had teasingly been calling his girlfriend since the USJ incident. He had made the mistake of watching the Sports Festival with the police station, and whenever she did anything, the two extolled the virtues of strong women to a degree that made Izuku want to die. Surprisingly, in those moments the most bearable officer was Mori, as he just shushed everyone else.

Izuku wondered whether or not he would be able to convince Gunhead to keep quiet about all of this. If Izuku didn't interfere, Gunhead would tell Valiant, who would tell Officer Sohma, as the two had a history of working together in the prime of their careers. Sohma would gush about it to the rest of the officers, which would be an absolute _nightmare._ Sasaki and Saito were already practically engraving wedding invitations for Izuku and the girl, based on their short interaction after the USJ incident.

Once Detective Tsukauchi heard, he would take it upon himself to have an awkward conversation with Izuku about girls and the proper way to approach such situations, which Izuku was _definitely_ not ready for. (When Tsukauchi had learned about Izuku's total lack of paternal direction, he had taken it upon himself to give him the lessons that men needed most.) Then somehow in the midst of it all his mom would find out, which would lead to a lot of tears and an even _more_ awkward conversation.

Gunhead had to be stopped at all costs.

Not that Izuku didn't like her based off of their short interaction, she was actually a really cute girl - was it offensive to call an aspiring hero cute? The point was that the girl had likely been in shock when they had met, and he had been nervous over his first EMT call, and-

"Midoriya," Gunhead interrupted in a murmur, low enough that only Izuku could hear, holding out a hand to help the boy up. "Are you okay? You're muttering, you haven't done that in a while."

As he clambered to his feet, all of his blood rushed to Izuku's face, which was turning a bright red color that tomatoes would be jealous of. "Oh my gosh, you didn't actually hear what I said, did you? Did they? Oh no, you can't tell anyone at the station about this. Please Gunhead!"

After a moment, the pro hero realized just what was going on, somehow blushing through his mask. "Is it the hero intern? Do you think she's pretty?"

Izuku squeaked, burying his face in his hands while the students filed in, taking their places. Ochako hadn't caught any of what was being said, but it took everything in her not to react to how Gunhead and the boy he'd been sparring with were standing - their poses were just too cute!

The boy looked familiar for some reason, though it was hard to pinpoint where Ochako might have known him from when his face was so red. Gunhead stopped whispering to the boy, straightening up. "As you all know, you're here to become better fighters, to be more prepared to help people in any situation. Those of you that are training to become heroes, pay attention. Too many heroes are overly dependent on their quirks, but as pros we should have other means of resolving situations at our disposal. Some quirks, like my own, are too risky to use in many situations. So learn well, it will literally save lives."

A weighty silence fell over the room, each participant contemplating the gravity of the situation. Gunhead continued, "But we can still enjoy our time together. In fact, I expect it. Today we have a special guest to help you learn. This is Midoriya Izuku."

Ochako's head snapped up at the name Midoriya. That's where she knew him from, he was the EMT who helped her after the USJ! But why was he here, was Gunhead expecting them to get hurt that badly?!

All eyes were on the two at the front until Gunhead nudged Izuku. "You're supposed to introduce yourself."

"Oh!" he stammered. "Like Gunhead said, I'm Midoriya Izuku. I've been practicing Martial Arts for just about a year now, so I'm by no means an expert, but I look forward to helping each of you!"

Midoriya's nervous habits were confusing to Ochako - he had been so confident after the USJ, but now he could barely form a full sentence. Regardless, Ochako felt strangely compelled to get to know him better.

"We only have Midoriya for today, unfortunately, so he is going to help me demonstrate the most important things you need to know," Gunhead said. "Remember to only use Gunhead Martial Arts, Midoriya. We don't want to confuse them with all of your fancy techniques."

"Got it. You can be the attacker first," Izuku offered.

"Are you sure?"

Izuku stretched. "I need to work on my defense against knives. Let's do it."

Ochako tensed as Gunhead produced a knife that certainly _looked_ real and rushed Midoriya. However, in a blur of green motion, Midoriya held the knife in one hand, and with the other he held Gunhead at arm's length.

One of the boys blinked. "Wait, what just happened?"

"This is what we're going to show you," Gunhead said. "Midoriya is going to come at me a lot more slowly than I came at him, and we'll go through every movement."

They continued like that for some time, demonstrating the most vital moves. When he thought it was sufficient, Gunhead said, "Okay, pair up and let's practice."

Immediately all of the attention in the room snapped to Midoriya with the same desperation of people who wanted, nay, needed, the smart kid in their group for a school project. However, for whatever reason, Gunhead pushed the boy forward. "You're going to work with Uraraka."

Izuku flushed, nodding. He shuffled over to the girl, not daring to meet her eyes. That didn't stop Ochako, though.

"You're that boy that helped me after the USJ! I thought you were an EMT, what are you doing here?"

"The whole EMT thing is just a hobby, kind of like Martial Arts," Izuku said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. Internally, though, he was celebrating. He was successfully talking to a girl! Awkwardly, he offered her the knife. "You try attacking first, so you can get a feel for the motions."

As the two practiced the motions again and again, Ochako couldn't help but wonder about this boy. Before he took the knife from her, she was awed at his easy, fluid movements. After, she was fascinated (and thankful) by his control. Every movement was deliberate, and his eyes held mass amounts of intelligence.

It was when they were taking a quick breather that Ochako finally worked up the courage to ask him the question that had been haunting her. "Why… What do you want to do if being an EMT is just a hobby?"

"Well, I originally wanted to be a hero," he said, slowly hunching in on himself. "I wanted to be one for as long as I can remember. But that's just not possible for me."

"What? You're really talented, Midoriya! Why would you think you couldn't be a hero?" Ochako asked.

"I'm quirkless," he said, smiling bitterly. "I had plans, ways to become a hero without one, but a certain pro told me it just wasn't possible. But I wanted to be a hero to help people, to save them. Heroism isn't the only way to do that, so I'm learning all of the things I can that might help someone one day. My goal now is actually to be a detective!"

Ochako couldn't help but smile at how bright the boy in front of her was. She was sad to hear his story, true, but she could already tell he was going to be a great detective. However, she felt conflicted. Before today, if someone had asked if a quirkless person could be a hero, Ochako would have probably said no. But something told her Midoriya could have done it. After all, she had classmates that probably wouldn't stand a chance against him sparring.

After all, quirks weren't everything.

Throughout this conversation, neither teenager noticed that Gunhead was listening in, taking note of every word. He wanted nothing more than to find whatever hero had hurt Midoriya so deeply and shake them. He had no doubt that Valiant would feel the same way.

Izuku and Ochako continued practicing, casually talking throughout. "I never got the chance to ask you, what's your quirk?"

"It's called zero gravity," she said. "I'm sure you can guess what it does." Ochako liked her quirk, but it was nowhere near as impressive as Bakugo's, or Todoroki's.

But Midoriya had stars in his eyes. He opened his mouth, a thousand questions dancing on his lips when he saw a clock. "Oh no, I'm going to be late! I have to catch a train, but I would love to hear about your quirk! I have so many questions!"

Suddenly Gunhead was there. "Why don't you give her your number?"

The boy startled at the sudden presence of the hero, emitting a little squeak. "Gunhead, what are you-"

"You're going to be late, Midoriya, just give her your number," the hero said, pressing pen and paper into his hand.

Nodding, Izuku hurriedly scribbled his number and pressed it into Uraraka's hands before yelling his goodbyes and sprinting out the door. As he ran, it fully registered what he'd just done. He'd just given away his number.

 _A cute girl had his number._

He thought about that almost the whole train ride to Hosu, but once he was there he had to really concentrate. Izuku found himself on the college campus with little recollection of how he had gotten there, excitement building every second he stood there.

Maybe he was being overly dramatic, but Izuku couldn't help but feel that this was the true beginning of a new portion of his life. Even more than starting the Police Academy, Izuku felt like this was what would get him where he wanted to be. He had always pictured going to U.A. as the next step to his future, but somehow this felt right. He couldn't wait to meet Dr. Meiji in person and really start his college career in earnest.

Izuku stepped forward eagerly, clutching his backpack and duffel bag, once more incredibly grateful for how lucky he'd been thus far in life. But it seemed that the boy's life could never be easy, nor simple. He had no idea what the rest of the week held in store for him. Debatably, the worst misfortune of all was that Izuku had forgotten to talk to Gunhead about not sharing sensitive information.

Whoops.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm back at it again when I really should be sleeping! I hope you all enjoy the chapter, this was a fun one to write. As always, your comments are a great inspiration to me! I'm sure you already have some guesses on what is going to happen in Hosu, but join me next week to find out!**


	10. Chapter 10

Stepping onto campus was practically a religious experience. Izuku clutched his tattered yellow backpack tightly as he adjusted his new, equally yellow fanny pack, anxiety plaguing him. Part of him whispered that it was a some sort of elaborate prank, and his scholarship was going to be yanked out of his hands. But he couldn't think that way, he had to live in the moment. At least, that was what Sasaki kept insisting.

He slowly found his way towards what he hoped was the correct building. Today alone he was supposed to sit in on one of Meiji's classes, to see the classroom firsthand.

Izuku picked what he hoped was the correct hallway, scanning room numbers. There was the right classroom! Luckily he had only made it a few minutes late. He was going to sneak in and do his best to avoid attention, but that plan was aborted when he stumbled upon entering the room. He managed to catch himself, but the noise he made turned all eyes on him.

He swallowed thickly, internally hoping for the sweet release of death. "Is this Foundational Quirk studies?"

The professor, a composed older gentleman, turned around. "Midoriya, you made it. Come, sit. Class, I want to introduce you to the author of Analysis 18."

All students immediately snapped their attention to him. "There's no way," said a girl with magenta hair. "He's like twelve."

"I'm fifteen," Izuku mumbled, sitting down in one of the only seats left - naturally it was right in the front.

"Midoriya is undeniably the author of Analysis 18," Dr. Meiji said. "He's here today as a guest, so be respectful."

Someone in the back snorted. "He's probably got some analysis quirk."

Izuku bit his lip, unsure whether or not to speak up. He settled on simply listening, taking notes on everything Dr. Meiji was saying. He could feel the other students staring at him - he just hoped it wouldn't get as violent as middle school had been.

As it was, Izuku desperately wanted to participate in the class, but old habits die hard. Besides, he didn't even want to _think_ about what kind of retaliation college students would be capable of.

Izuku managed to stay silent until Dr. Meiji asked him point-blank, "Midoriya, based on this picture, what would you say these two people's quirks are?"

He studied the picture, a scene from a high school hallway. It featured two students, a boy with barely visible fangs and slitted pupils and a girl with downcast eyes.

"The boy has a minor snake quirk - I would guess he produces a weak venom, but nothing that has changed his physiology too much."

"Class?"

The student with magenta hair from earlier scoffed. "It could also be something like a cat quirk."

"Yes, it could be if it weren't the faint scale pattern peeking out from his shirt collar," Izuku pointed out.

"And what of the girl?" Meiji asked.

"It could be some kind of emitter type," one student hesitantly ventured.

"Or some mental quirk?"

Meiji listened to several more suggestions before asking, "What do you think, Midoriya?"

"She's quirkless," he said simply.

"What?"

"That's not very likely."

Dr. Meiji quieted them down before saying, "Now tell us why you think this, Midoriya.'

"Well there's no evidence of a quirk, but most of all it's about her body language. The way she's junched in on herself, and it looks like she's nervously moving her fingers… It all screams quirkless."

"She could have a quirk people bully her for, though. Or she could just be anxious," someone said.

Izuku shrugged. "There's an unspoken connection between quirkless people - we just recognize each other on sight. I can't explain it."

The class stared at him in stunned silence until Meiji clapped his hands. "Unfortunately class is over now. Remember your third analysis is due on Wednesday. Now get out of here."

Izuku began gathering up his things when he noticed the magenta-haired student quietly approached his desk.

"It's Midoriya, right?"

He looked up sharply before cautiously nodding.

"I'm… I'm Uotani. I just wanted to apologize for earlier, I assumed you had an analysis quirk. That doesn't make it right, and I'm sorry. I'm just a little jaded about people deciding how to live their lives based on their quirks."

"People do tend to judge people's capabilities and intelligence on their quirks," Izuku acknowledged. "It's something that _really_ needs to be addressed."

Uotani nodded furiously. "I actually want to compile biographies of people who live life unconventionally in terms of their quirks."

"I'd love to read it some day."

She smiled wickedly. "Maybe I'll have to write a sequel about quirkless people and feature you."

"Oh, my story isn't really interesting," Izuku mumbled.

"Somehow I doubt that. The author of Analysis 18 clearly has something to say," Uotani said, eyes gleaming.

"What is Analysis 18?" he asked, a little exasperated. "Everyone keeps referencing it."

"It's an analysis of Present Mic that Dr. Meiji read to the class to show us that our analyses are lacking," Uotani explained. "He kind of held it over our heads, telling us that the author had the same amount of formal training as we did."

"You did _what_?" Izuku yelped, looking at the professor with utter betrayal. "I wrote that when I was thirteen, it's basically five pages of me being a fanboy."

"It's brilliant," Dr. Meiji argued. "Truly, a work of art."

Izuku groaned before standing to join the professor, waving Uotani goodbye. When he turned to continue his complaint, he found Meiji staring at him with a brow raised. "You didn't strike me as a fanny pack-type man, Midoriya."

In truth, Izuku liked the fanny pack - it was a bright yellow that almost matched his backpack. He was just a little embarrassed about the context of the fanny pack.

When he had last been at the station, Tsukauchi did give him more information about what to expect in Hosu. However, he wouldn't let Izuku leave. Instead, he called Officer Kondo in, who walked in, fanny pack in hand.

Kondo sat directly opposite Izuku, placing the thing on the desk between them. "As you are going to a larger, unfamiliar city and you get into more trouble than should be statistically possible, the station all pitched in to get you this. Saito and Sasaki have dubbed it the Don't Rape Me kit. It currently consists of a whistle, pepper spray, a knife with a sheath that can be worn in multiple discreet places, and a flashlight taser. All of these items are legal to use in self defense when the need arises."

Izuku had choked, cheeks burning with embarrassment. "It's called _what?_ "

"The Don't Rape Me Kit. Officer Nakamura proposed we call it the Save My Fanny Pack, but Sasaki and Saito vetoed it. The rest of us didn't care what we called it, as long as it keeps you alive."

He had stared at Kondo for a long while silently willing her to claim it was all a joke, but no such claim came. It was very real, and apparently he was not allowed to go to Hosu without it. (Izuku had half-wondered if they put a tracking device in it because the officers kept ominously insisting they would know if he didn't have it with him. But they were probably just joking, that would be ridiculous.)

Snapping back to the present, Izuku stammered, "It was a gift."

The professor looked a little more closely at Izuku's shirt - it was his favorite "T-shirt" t-shirt. "Actually, the more that I think on it, the fanny pack seems to me exactly something you would wear."

"Thanks?"

They wound through campus to a set of dorms Meiji handed Izuku a key card. "If you go through these doors, your room is the first on the left. You're welcome to stay here anytime, but especially when you come to visit me."

Izuku bit his lip. "I didn't know I needed to bring things to furnish the room." Would he even have a blanket to use tonight?

"Oh, don't worry about that, go see," the professor urged.

When Izuku swiped the key card, the door opened easily. It was easily recognizable as a college dorm room, but softer, toned down. It was inviting, the bed covered in a fluffy blue comforter and overstuffed pillows. A desk was already stocked with notebooks, paper, and writing utensils. A mini fridge hummed in the corner, and a shiny TV hung on the wall.

Izuku flushed. "This is too much! You really didn't have to do this, just a bed would have been fine!"

"Midoriya," Dr. Meiji said, "You're one of the most brilliant students I've ever taught, but you're also fifteen years old. I want to put your mind at ease, but I also want to assure your mother that you are being taken care of. Settle in, relax. Call your mother. I have another class to teach, but tonight I'll treat you to dinner outside of campus as this is the only night I can. I admire your dedication to become a police officer, but I can't help but resent that Tsuragamae gets to steal you away."

Izuku nodded faintly, a little overwhelmed. He faintly remembered Dr. Meiji mentioning that he did occasionally work with the police. He idly wondered if the professor knew Detective Tsukauchi - it seemed like Tsukauchi could be called across the country for a difficult case at a moment's notice. He felt like Meiji might have mentioned something about it, but it was hard to remember when he his interactions with the man had only been over email and the occasional video chat to discuss a particular analysis.

His phone buzzed with a text - it was from Saito. He was always at least the tiniest bit hesitant to open her texts - she was just so unpredictable.

 _Don't let Chief Dog Face talk you into moving to Hosu. You belong with our station!_ Attached was a picture of whoever happened to be on duty at the moment - Saito had an arm slung around Nakamura's shoulders, Tamakawa and Sohma idly waving, and Mori was in the background, looking miserable in the meter maid vest.

Izuku smiled. He was nervous to meet Chief Tsuragamae tomorrow, but if he was half as welcoming as Izuku's station, Izuku would be in good hands.

* * *

 **A/N: Back once more, and surprisingly before midnight this time around! Thanks to everyone who commented, it means a lot!**


	11. Chapter 11

Izuku soon found that his conversations with Dr. Meiji fell into the same pattern most of the time. It was nice communicating with him in person rather than solely over email.

But no matter the topic, the two would talk so animatedly and extensively that their analysis was so complex and involved that _they_ barely understood it, let alone anyone else. During one of their sessions, a grad student had walked into Meiji's office with a question. He had only listened for a few seconds, eyes wide until he scuttled away, claiming that he would be back later.

Dr. Meiji noticed this as well. He was deep in thought one morning when he said, "Midoriya, I have a new challenge for you. I want you to start doing a brief analysis on the people close to you. Your strength lies in the way that you can discern so much about a person from idle observation, but that's not always practical. If you're helping a hero or the police force, they won't always have time to read a twenty page analysis. Your challenge is to make these no longer than a single page, but with all of the most important information."

Izuku thought it over a minute before nodding. "That makes sense."

The professor smiled, ruffling the boy's hair. "I have a class soon, and you've got patrol this evening with the police, don't you? You don't want to be late."

They parted ways, and Izuku only paused at his room long enough to grab his EMT pack before running out to the waiting police car. It wasn't really necessary for patrol, but Izuku liked to carry it, it gave him peace of mind knowing that he was better prepared to help someone should the need arise. Between the EMT pack and the Don't Rape Me kit, Izuku felt prepared for whatever may come. He had no idea how wrong he was.

The officers waiting for him were ones he'd met before: Mao was in his mid-twenties with a quirk that made his teeth razor-sharp, and his partner Ashia was cool-headed with a stamina enhancement quirk. Ashia reminded Izuku a little bit of Kondo, but his glare didn't have nearly the same impact as hers did.

The two greeted Izuku as he climbed into the car, genuinely happy to see him. Ashia said, "You get to pick where we're patrolling tonight. We're extraneous, so we can patrol anywhere within our zone."

Izuku thought of the news he'd been analyzing that very morning - he was sure the Hero Killer, Stain was still in Hosu. The man likely didn't fight well against groups of people, so it would probably be safe enough to go…

"Can we patrol this area of town?" Izuku asked, pointing to a specific area on the paper map Mao held.

"It's a pretty quiet area, but whatever you want, Midoriya," Mao said.

For whatever reason Izuku felt a deep sense of foreboding, but it also came with the sense that someone needed his help. To distract himself, Izuku instead thought about his EMT pack - it would be too cumbersome to carry when he became a fully-fledged police officer, but if he could compress it to, say, a fanny pack…

Mao broke him from his ponderings. "We know how much you like heroes, so if you wanted to see him, we could probably catch Native on his patrol. This is his part of town."

"I would love to meet him! I have some questions about his quirk."

Smiling fondly at the boy's excitement, Mao told Ashia to pull over. The three piled out of the car. They had been together for patrols the past few days, and the officers were growing ever fonder of the kid. Both found themselves shaking their heads at Izuku's insistence to bring his EMT pack.

Mao raised an eyebrow. "I appreciate how prepared you're trying to be, Midoriya, but it seems just as excessive tonight as it has the other nights."

"Well I can't do much to help with police work until I finish at the Academy, so I'll help this way," Izuku said brightly.

Making sure his equipment was in place, Ashia said, "I was doubtful when I heard Tsukauchi's plan to make a teenager an officer, but now I see his reasoning. We're glad to have you, Midoriya."

Izuku stammered an awkward thanks, but all three froze at the sound of a pained groan. Luckily the police had been marginally successful in training Izuku not to run into potentially dangerous situations - instead it was a brisk walk. The kid very nearly managed to leave Mao and Ashia in his dust.

"Call for backup," Izuku commanded before disappearing around the corner.

"Should we?" Mao asked hesitantly.

"Do what the kid says. I'm going to follow, you stay here unless you're needed. If it gets bad, pull Midoriya out. I don't want to explain to Tsukauchi how we let his son get murdered."

Izuku had immediately made his way to Native as quietly as possible. The whole scene was a mess. Just as he had thought, here was the Hero Killer Stain, but someone had distracted him from his prey. While Native slowly bled out in the alleyway, Stain was busy injuring someone in silver armor. Izuku was fairly sure he had seen that same armor on one of the Class 1-A students after the USJ incident, and the boy's resemblance to Ingenium was undeniable. So this was a revenge mission.

But now was not the time to analyze motives and quirks, Izuku had to see to Native's injuries. The hero was conscious, but paralyzed from Stain's quirk. Native hissed for him to leave, get pros, but if his injuries weren't seen to immediately, Native would likely be permanently paralyzed like Ingenium, He needed an ambulance, now. Izuku felt slightly guilty doing this, but he stuffed a wad of gauze into the man's mouth to hopefully shut him up.

He _felt_ when the hero killer's eyes fell on him. Chills ran down Izuku's spine, and his heart sank when he saw that the hero student was unmoving on the ground. His helmet was off, and Izuku recognized him from the Sports Festival. Now the resemblance to Ingenium was undeniable, the two were likely brothers.

But Stain's eyes were on Izuku, and his sword dripped blood onto the pavement - the same blood that the hero student was loosing too quickly.

"Hosu Police! Put your weapon down, Hero Killer Stain." Ashia stalked into the alleyway, placing himself between Izuku and Stain, gun drawn.

"Ah, the public defenders that don't masquerade as heroes. I have no qualms with you, but I won't allow you to keep me from my prey," Stain said in a voice that sounded like the night itself.

The Hero Killer sprang forward, nimbly avoiding the bullet Ashia shot. While the man was partially distracted, Izuku finished bandaging Native as quickly as possible before scuttling over to the hero student, ripping open hi EMT pack.

"What are you doing? Get out of here, this isn't your fight," the boy wheezed.

"It shouldn't be yours either," Izuku hissed pressing gauze down onto the wound. He almost immediately felt blood soak through. "You're training to be a hero, aren't you? I thought heroes were agents of protection, not revenge."

"Midoriya, get out of here," came a strangled cry. Ashia was collapsed on the ground, blood slowly staining his shirt. Izuku frantically searched the alleyway; Stain was -

He managed to raise his EMT pack in front of him like a shield, a few daggers sinking into it. Stain was advancing, his sword glinting in the moonlight.

"Once his quirk wears off, press on that gauze," Izuku instructed the hero student before putting the Don't Rape Me whistle between his lips, blowing with the full capacity of his lungs.

"You test my patience, child!" Stain growled, lunging forward.

Izuku knew he couldn't even begin to match the man in martial arts. His technique really was a thing of beauty. He also knew that everyone who cared about him was going to _hate_ this plan. But Stain's quirk required him to ingest his victim's blood, which meant that he had to get close to said victim for even a moment, which was when Izuku would strike.

The sword sliced through the EMT pack like it was nothing, but Izuku managed to avoid the blade. He was still kneeling near the hero student, and he threw the remnants of the pack at the hero killer.

"You behave like a true hero, child. But don't hold back, I'm curious to see what manner of quirk you have." Stain chuckled darkly before bringing his sword down in a wicked arc. Izuku cried out as it was buried in his thigh - but now was his time. One hand lashed out, desperately grabbing the blade and _pulling_ , causing the hero killer to stumble closer.

Spitting out the whistle, Izuku said, "I don't have one," before using his other hand to whip out the taser, pressing it to the soft skin of the hero killer's neck. The sheer power of the thing jolted Izuku a bit, but he held it there probably longer than necessary until it was clear that the man wasn't getting up.

In the distance he heard sirens. Good. That was good. Where had his whistle landed? No matter. Taking a deep breath, Izuku howled, "MAO!"

The man came running, freezing for only a moment upon seeing all of the blood in the alleyway. He was clearly terrified that someone was dead, which Izuku understood, but he was also acutely aware of every second as it ticked by. "Mao, get cuffs on this man _now._ Use everything you can to restrain him. I don't know when he's going to wake up."

"Is that the Hero Killer Stain?" the younger officer choked.

"Get cuffs on him, _now,_ " Ashia growled from the ground.

"Right! And backup is coming, but there's some kind of chaos in another part of the city. We don't know how long it will take," Mao said, firmly handcuffing Stain. "Midoriya, you still have a sword in your thigh,"

"It's the only thing keeping me from passing out from blood loss," Izuku said calmly. "Thank goodness for adrenaline because I can't feel a thing."

The hero student slowly sat up, putting pressure on his wound like Izuku had instructed. Stain's quirk had released when the man passed out, but he was the only one fit enough to move. Mao was tending to Ashia's wounds now that Stain had a pair of handcuffs around his wrists and another around his ankles. But no one was going to die this night, Izuku was fairly confident in that.

"You're quirkless?" the boy asked, pale from blood loss. "Why would you run in like that?"

"I'm morally opposed to letting people die," Izuku said. "I'm Midoriya Izuku, by the way."

"Iida Tenya. I must give my sincerest apologies, Midoriya. You were correct in your estimation of me. I _was_ acting out of revenge. It was you, not I that showed true heroism tonight."

"I think that's a bit much, but I appreciate the sentiment. Oh, the ambulances are almost here, perfect."

From the ground, Ashia groaned. "Mao, you're the one who has to explain this situation to Tsukauchi."

"What? Why me?" Mao yelped.

"You're the only one who didn't get stabbed," Ashia accused. "You can tell Tsuragamae first if you want, but you're calling Tsukauchi."

It was only moments later that a whole host of police officers and EMTs appeared. The first officer to get to Izuku looked down and swore. "Is that the Hero Killer Stain?"

"Please take him," Izuku said. Before he could observe or say anything more, a gaggle of medical personnel were transferring him to a stretcher.

The inside of the ambulance was sterile, and it felt familiar to him after his training, but his adrenaline was beginning to wear off, and the pain was what he would describe as all-consuming. He was pretty sure he asked someone to call his mom, and then he was at the hospital and people kept saying something about surgery.

Then, mercifully the world drifted away and the pain was gone. But it seemed no sooner than he had comfortably fallen asleep when someone was urging him awake, insistently shoving a spoon in his mouth.

"You need to wake up and eat," someone was saying, shoving the thick, butterscotch pudding into his mouth. Izuku's eyes fluttered open to see he was in a hospital room, his mom standing along with so many people… His head was fuzzy and thinking was just so _hard._

"You just got out of surgery for your leg. How do you feel?" the person force-feeding him pudding asked.

Izuku attempted to force his mind to cooperate, but it was a struggle. He intended to answer the question, but when he opened his mouth, what came out was, "Do I get to keep the sword?"

"It's evidence _fur_ now," Tsuragamae said with his usual gravity. "But we'll see."

"I should tell Stain thank you," Izuku mumbled, eyes unfocused. "He gave me a sword and called me a hero. I always wanted to be a hero."

"Why don't you become a hero?" Iida asked from the bed next to Izuku's. Huh, he hadn't noticed the hero student was there.

"He told me I couldn't, too dangerous for quirkless. He would know, he's a hero. Made me even sadder than what Kacchan said. But I'm happy now," Izuku mumbled, yawning. "The station is nice. Oh, wait, Chief Tsuraga… Tsurama… Chief? Is Iida going to be in trouble?"

"They have graciously extended mercy so long as we never tell anyone of my involvement," the student in question said.

"I'm glad you're not in trouble," Izuku said excitedly. "Mom! I missed you! Why are you crying?"

Unable to hold herself back anymore, Inko flung herself at her son. "Izuku, you're okay! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Izuku merely hummed, grateful for his mother's presence. Tsuramagae left, claiming he would be back later to get his statement.

"Mom?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"What time is it?"

Inko checked her watch. "Around two in the morning."

"You should be sleeping!"

"Oh, I'm fine, Izuku."

But Izuku could see how exhausted Inko was, and he was tired himself. "Go to my dorm room, you can sleep there. That way you can grab my stuff in the morning before we leave. Besides, Dr. Meiji will want to see me, so he can come here with you."

It took a lot more convincing, but finally Inko agreed to take a cab to the university, leaving Izuku alone with Iida. Izuku was drowsy, but his mind was fully functional once more. The painkillers were starting to wear off, but for now it was bearable.

"I sincerely apologize, Midoriya," Iida said, breaking the silence. "I was a selfish fool. I could only recognize the injustice done to my brother, and if it weren't for your intervention, I would likely be dead."

The two boys quietly conversed, while in the hallway, Inko happened upon one frazzled detective. She paused. "Tsukauchi?"

The man came screeching to a halt. "Inko! Is he okay?"

"He had to have surgery on his leg, but he's fine. He should make a full recovery," Inko said, glad to see the detective. She hesitated before continuing, "But he was saying some… concerning things when he was recovering from the anesthesia."

"Like what?"

"Like he should thank Stain because he called Izuku a hero. I hadn't heard anything about this before, but apparently Izuku had a pro hero tell him he couldn't be a hero, and it hurt worse than everything his bullies told him. Izuku hadn't told me anything about all of this, and I doubt he's going to remember telling me. It worries me, because before your station found him, heroes were Izuku's life. Everything was about finding a way to become one."

Tsukauchi's eyes were steel. "Do you know what hero told him this?"

Inko thought briefly back to when they moved and Izuku had donated the entirety of his All Might collection. It was highly unusual, but it was probably just Izuku trying to move on from his former dream. Besides, the day of the sludge villain there were a lot of heroes on scene, and there was no guarantee that it was any of them.

"No."

The detective nodded. "Thanks for telling me, Inko. Now go get some sleep."

"You too," she said with a wry smile.

Izuku and Iida were deep in conversation when the door slammed open and Detective Tsukauchi stormed in, the picture of fury in a trench coat. "Midoriya Izuku, I _know_ you didn't just happen to be in the same area of Hosu as Stain. What on earth possessed you to intervene with nothing but two police officers and a fanny pack?"

"I also had my EMT pack?" Izuku said nervously.

Tsukauchi collapsed into a chair at his bedside. "We're getting you a gun. Really? The Hero Killer?"

"I'll tell someone my suspicions next time, I was just worried they wouldn't believe me or that we would get there too late," Izuku said.

"Well I don't think you have to worry about that in the future, there's already a whole host of police officers that want to steal you from me," Tsukauchi said. "Once Mao told me, somehow the entirety of Japan's police force found out that you were the one who took down Stain."

Izuku found himself blushing. "It's too much."

"You're well on your way to becoming Japan's favorite police officer, and you're not even officially one yet. But you need to trust in us, kid. We're here to help you, and if you don't start trusting us you're going to keep getting hurt like this."

"I'm sorry," Izuku said sincerely, ducking his head.

"Good, I better not be seeing you in the hospital anytime soon," Tsukauchi said seriously. "Now I am commandeering this armchair for a few hours, and in the morning, I'm going to pay Mao and Ashia a visit."

Izuku yawned. "Please don't kill them."

"I make no promises. Now go to sleep, Little Midoriya."

* * *

 **A/N: Y'all know the drill. Fight scenes are one of the things I'm least confident on, so constructive feedback is greatly appreciated. But any and all comments are welcome, I love hearing what you have to say! It's finals week for me, and then I have to move for the summer, so that means one of two things: either I'm going to take extra long for the next chapter, because I am a responsible adult who should be studying and packing, or the next chapter is going to be done in two days because procrastination. We shall see!**


	12. Chapter 12

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Midoriya, but we can't release your son just yet."

"What? He's okay, isn't he?" Inko asked, eyes wide.

"Yes, he's healing wonderfully," the doctor assured her. "But this injury was no small wound. We're lucky that there wasn't more damage done to him. As it stands, I just want to keep an eye on him to make sure that there are no complications."

Inko wrung her hands. "I understand that, but I can't afford to take anymore time off from my job. I can't just leave Izuku alone! And I don't know if I can afford the hospital bills…"

Izuku bit his lip, trying not to cry as he listened to his mother fret like this. He hated that he was such a burden. He had been the reason that they moved, and she wouldn't tell him how much his online schooling and Valiant's dojo cost, but it couldn't be cheap. Until he became part of the police force, Izuku couldn't contribute, he was merely a drain on his mother. Now here he was, costing more money that they didn't have and the guilt was eating him alive. Izuku swallowed wondering if he could work in a part-time job, at least until-

"Don't worry about that, Mrs. Midoriya," Detective Tsukauchi cut in, placing a hand on her shoulder. "The police take care of their own. Our insurance policy will cover the costs completely. You can return home if you need to. I know that almost everyone in the station was planning on dropping by here at one point or another, so we can arrange shifts so that your son is never alone."

"Besides, I am being retained as well," Iida said from his own hospital bed, chopping at the air with his good arm. "I shall keep him company as best I can."

"I'll be checking up on your son as well," Dr. Meiji interrupted quickly.

Izuku blinked, completely stunned. They were helping? Just like that? Was this what having more than a two-person family felt like? Or were they helping because they felt guilty? "That's not necessary, you shouldn't feel like you have to-"

Tsukauchi put a hand on his head. "Reckless teenagers don't get any say in the matter."

Izuku squawked in protest, but in actuality, his chest was warmer than he could ever recall it being before.

Soon after that, the adults fell into a conversation that wasn't so much exclusive as it was boring, so Izuku took advantage of their distraction and stretched as far as his body would allow, finally able to snag his shone that had been tantalizingly out of reach - Tsukauchi had stolen it last night claiming that he needed rest, not a distraction.

He was marginally impressed that his phone had any battery left at all, and that it hadn't just malfunctioned from all of the notifications. There were roughly two-hundred text messages from Officer Saito alone, ranging from berating him for his stupidity to pleading for him to be okay. There were also texts from everyone else on the force (excluding Mori), a handful from various people he knew from the dojo, a dozen emails from various teachers, and a few voicemails - one was from Ojiro, one was from Valiant, and there were two from the same unknown number.

Curious, Izuku picked the first one from the unknown number. Holding the phone up to his ear, a vaguely familiar voice began speaking.

"Hi, I was just calling to say thank you for my first day of training. You helped a lot and you were super cool! I hope I see you again sometime soon, Midoriya. Oh! This is Uraraka Ochako, by the way."

Izuku hadn't been aware that his phone slipped out of his hand until it clattered to the floor. The noise alerted everyone else in the room, causing some concern while an utterly smitten smile spread across his face.

"Midoriya, are you alright? Do we need to call the doctor?"

"Talk to us, kid!"

"Izuku, honey, why are you smiling like that? Should I be worried?"

He instinctively turned to the most familiar voice. "A girl, Mom. A girl."

"What about a girl, Izuku?" Inko asked, worry creasing her face even more. "What girl?"

The door to the hospital room slammed open and none other than Officer Saito stomped in, waving a picture around. "It's _this_ girl, isn't it Izuku?! One Uraraka Ochako, a hero student in U.A.'s Class 1-A. You helped her after the USJ incident and then again on Monday at Gunhead's dojo where you gave her your phone number!"

Izuku whimpered, feeling like a guilty man on trial even though he had done nothing. "No, it's not what you think, I-"

"Don't you lie to me, Little Midoriya. Gunhead told me everything!" Saito said, dramatically jabbing a finger at him. "But I'm not angry about the girl, Little Midoriya. If anything comes of this, I'll have to instill the fear of the station in her, but she's cute and hopefully smart enough not to hurt you. No, I came all the way to Hosu to address your blatant BETRAYAL!"

It was then that Officer Nakamura appeared in the doorway, panting. "Sorry, Little Midoriya. I tried to rein her in, but she locked me in a janitor's closet and made it here before me."

"Betrayal?" Iida asked, scandalized.

"You lost our Snapchat streak!" Saito declared, seemingly near tears. "And then you didn't confirm your crush to me, you're supposed to divulge your secrets to me! And then you had to get yourself hurt on top of it all."

Nakamura wheezed, producing an inhaler and taking a few puffs before snarling, "You need to get your priorities straight."

"We were almost to fifty days! If I can snap him in the middle of a drug bust to keep the thing alive, then-"

"Saito, what have I said about using your phone on the job?"

She cursed quietly under her breath. "I forgot that Dadtective was here. Nakamura, why didn't you warn me?"

"You… dug… your… grave," Nakamura wheezed, starting to get his breathing under control.

The doctor cleared his throat. "I was letting this slide before, but with this many people we should really only have family in the room."

"I really should get going anyway, office hours are starting soon," Dr. Meiji said regretfully. "Heal quickly, Midoriya. I look forward to your next visit."

Once Meiji had departed, the doctor looked expectantly at the others in the room, though mainly Saito. Looking him dead in the eyes with a completely straight face, she said, "He's my brother, can't you see the resemblance? How are you, Mom?" she asked, giving Inko a wooden hug.

Inko patted the woman who was obviously too old to be her daughter on the back. Normally she would have protested the lie, but it was true in all but blood. The police station were more like family to Izuku than anyone but Inko herself.

"And him?" the doctor asked, pointedly looking at Nakamura.

"He's our great uncle," she said without missing a beat.

The doctor sighed in resignation. "Just don't get too rowdy."

It was then that Iida chose to lean over and whisper, "Are you truly smitten with Uraraka?"

Unfortunately Iida was terrible at whispering, and the entire room heard him. Izuku paled as every eye present came to rest on him. It was his mother of all people that asked, "Izuku, who is this Uraraka Ochako?"

Izuku flailed, unsure of how to answer and praying for deliverance. It seemed just then that he had apparently done something right in his life, because it actually came. A nurse stepped in to collect Iida and Izuku to get them out of their room and visit some other patients.

At that point Izuku was ready to fling himself off the bed, but he settled for nodding vigorously while Iida agreed as well. The two were transferred into wheelchairs while Izuku insisted that he and Iida went alone with the nurses until finally they were pushed away from prying eyes.

Once out of earshot, Iida said, "I must beg your forgiveness, Midoriya. I was not nearly discreet enough."

"Don't worry about it, Iida. And yeah, I think I do l-like Uraraka. She's one of the first girls I've ever met that didn't care I was quirkless."

"She is indeed a person of the highest caliber, as are you," Iida said almost proudly, like a mother hen talking about her chicks.

"We're at the first room," one of the nurses announced before pushing the door open.

The room was nearly identical to theirs, but only one of the beds was taken, and this room was littered with candy wrappers and the like. From his armchair next to the occupied bed, still chewing on a candybar, Officer Mao languidly poked Officer Ashia awake while Izuku excitedly said, "It's great to see you both! I'm glad you're healing well, Officer Ashia!"

It took a minute for Ashia's eyes to focus enough to see the boys before a smile spread across his face. "Hey, Midoriya. You haven't tried to take down any homicidal maniacs since I last saw you, have you?"

"Not yet, but it's not quite lunchtime," Izuku said with a smile.

"That was amazing kid, but a little warning next time?" Mao asked. "I know you probably have experience being doubted because you're a quirkless teenager, but that's not going to be the case anymore. You're the golden child of the police department."

"What?"

Both officers stared at him. "Haven't you seen the news?"

"I made the news?"

"Oh, jeez," Mao said, picking up the remote and flipping through a few channels. Izuku only caught snippets from each, but it was enough.

" _-Hero Killer Stain stopped by a quirkless fifteen-year-old. Some question the legitimacy of the story and whether or not it was all a ploy to raise the public opinion of quirkless individuals -"_

" _\- Midoriya Izuku, a quirkless fifteen-year-old reportedly accomplished what an abundance of pro-heroes have been unable to. This begs the question, are quirks really helpful, or have we become too reliant on them? Here we have-"_

" _-taser sales have skyrocketed overnight. More on-"_

" _-was just a fluke, a lucky coincidence,"_ Endeavor was saying, staring into the camera. " _Children, especially defenseless children, should keep out of hero work."_

Mao turned off the TV. "You're everywhere. Some people love you, some people hate you. Endeavor is _pissed_ beyond belief, and so he's been attempting to downplay your fight and talk up the strength of those Nomu things. I think he's really just jealous that you took down such a high-profile villain without a quirk."

"Jealous?" Izuku squeaked.

"For better or for worse, you're making a name for yourself. Your face is being plastered everywhere, both of you. The police as a whole are getting the most positive publicity than we've gotten since the institution of public heroes. This is probably going to be a fleeting thing - in a month you might seem vaguely familiar to someone in the grocery store, but people are going to remember that it was a quirkless kid that took down Stain," Ashia said gravely. "But kid, from what I know of you, this is only the start of one of the brightest careers I've ever seen. I look forward to what you do next."

"As long as you warn your partners," Mao said immediately and sternly. "Now get out of here. If Ashia doesn't get more rest his wife will kill both of us."

Izuku and Iida bid the two farewell as their nurses pushed them out of the room and further down the hallway. Neither boy asked any questions when they were pushed into a room a few doors down where Native was being visited by Manual. Both heroes were happy to see the boys, but wasted no time telling them that they were reckless and stupid that night. But Native ended by saying, "If it weren't for you two though, I'd be dead, so I have to say thank you."

Manual smiled. "I think you've learned your lesson, Tenya. But thank you, Midoriya. You kept him alive when I couldn't. I hear you want to be a detective, and I think I speak for many heroes when I say that I look forward to working with you."

Izuku managed to hold back his tears, but only just. "Me too."

He sniffled as they were pushed from the room. He was still trying not to cry when Iida said, "Our room is in the opposite direction, and surely there are no more patients…"

"Have you forgotten about me so easily, Tenya?"

Iida froze at the sound of the newcomer's voice. "Brother?"

Izuku glanced around to find a man who looked remarkably like Iida wheeling up in a wheelchair of his own. _Ingenium._

A harried nurse materialized behind him. "Sir, you're not allowed to be moving about on your own yet!"

"I just wanted to make sure my brother hadn't forgotten me," Ingenium said with a winning smile. It was roughly about that moment that Izuku felt like his heart was about to explode because _holy whoa THE Ingenium sat right in front of him._

"I… I could never forget you!" Iida said fervently, his eyes shining with tears. "Brother, I must apologize. I thought I was avenging you, but in reality I merely let my anger overwhelm me. I'm so sorry, brother, I have failed to uphold the ideals of heroism that you taught me."

Iida was crying in earnest now, but he jolted when his brother placed a comforting hand atop his head. "You acted rashly, Tenya, that's true. But I know you, and you will learn from this and become a better hero than I ever was. You will make Ingenium a hero to look up to."

"Thank you brother, I won't let you down again," Iida said, wiping at his tears.

"I know you won't," Ingenium said warmly before his eyes came to rest on Izuku. "And I'm assuming you're the person I have to thank for keeping my brother alive."

"Oh, I didn't do much, really. But it's an honor to meet you, Ingenium, sir. I've looked up to you for-"

Izuku was pulled from what could potentially the most embarrassing mutter-storm of his life when an irritated voice called, "Tensei, I won't bring you to your checkups with your surgeon if you're never where you're supposed to be."

Ingenium wheeled around enough to look at the speaker. "Aw, but Shota, I was popping in on m darling little brother and his new friend."

Izuku swallowed as none other than Aizawa strolled into view, displeasure clear on his face. "I didn't think I'd get the opportunity to lecture you two so soon. You were both reckless and stupid. Iida, I expect you to learn from this, and learn well. You're only alive because Midoriya is a trained EMT, and a good one at that. I trust that you'll rein in your emotions in the future."

"Of course, Mr. Aizawa. You have my sincerest apologies."

"Don't expect the government to take it easy on you. You used your quirk illegally, and there will be a penalty," Aizawa warned. "You were being a vigilante in every sense of the word."

Iida hung his head. "I am aware."

"And you," Aizawa said, his glare sharpening on Izuku. "I'm sure Tsukauchi covered most things already, Problem Child, but I've spoken with Gunhead and Valiant about methods of countering various types of weapons. The next time I hear that you've taken a sword to the thigh I'm going to make you wish that the villain had finished the job."

"I'll be more careful," Izuku said, furiously nodding.

Ingenium's mouth curled even further upwards. "I didn't know you knew the hero of the hour, Shota."

"I know him well enough to know that Midoriya didn't stumble across Stain by accident," Aizawa said, his eyes boring into the depths of Izuku's soul. "But I also know he's one of the most capable Problem Children I've ever come across. I swear, when I find whatever fool of a pro-hero told him he couldn't be one of us, I'm going to hang them upside down with my capture weapon."

"That is the highest praise I have ever heard from Aizawa Shota. Take heart, Midoriya, that means that you're doing something incredibly right. Thank you for saving my little brother. I may no longer be able to be a hero, but I can rest easy knowing that I'm leaving the world in the hands of you two," Tensei said with a bittersweet smile. "Now we need to get going. If Shota isn't back by a certain time, his cats will riot and I will be hearing about it for months."

Izuku wasn't sure what to feel as he watched Ingenium and Aizawa leave. He was still not completely present, thanks to his pain medication and the poor sleep afforded by hospital beds. He thought about nothing and everything at the same time as he was wheeled back to his hospital room, where he would sit aside Iida for days, making a lifelong friend and ally.

In those few days, Izuku was able to pretend he was just a teenager with Iida, as if neither of their pictures were broadcasted across every news channel while millions of strangers formulated opinions of each of them. Each boy was blissfully unaware that the happenings of that fateful night was already changing their nation as it stood, potentially even the world. The specifics and their faces would be widely forgotten, but the emotions behind it all never would.

However, the details were not forgotten by all. Many eyes now rested on Midoriya Izuku, for better or for worse.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the slow update, moving for the summer was even more hectic than finals, and then this chapter has been a struggle to write for whatever reason. But I'm glad to be back. The backstory has kind of evolved and become a whole story of its own, but I hope you're enjoying it! I've got some big things coming, so watch out!**

 **I have a friend that I consult about my stories, we'll call her Kit. You can thank her for the addition of Tensei, it was a stroke of genius on her part. However, we usually agree on most things, but Kit thinks I should get rid of the fanny pack. I think the fanny pack deserves a long and happy life. Opinions? See you all soon!**


	13. Chapter 13

"I can see you've been keeping up with your therapy even though Recovery Girl healed you," Aizawa said as he and Izuku circled one another, each waiting for the other to strike first. "That's good, you're probably stronger than you were before."

Izuku did is best to regulate his breathing, ignoring the sweat sticking his shirt to his body. "I have a lot of people who care about my well-being for once, I would hate to let them down."

"If you recognize that much, you'll do us all a favor and stop taking swords to the thigh. But it's true that you've got an army of people making sure that you reach your full potential," Aisawa said, one of his unsettling smiles spreading across his face. "Speaking of that, I showed Nezu your analysis of me, and he's intrigued."

"You did _what_?!"

In that millisecond of Izuku's surprise, Aizawa struck. After a flurry of motion, Izuku ended up with his face pressed into the practice mat.

"I think you know what I'm going to say, Problem Child."

"Never let my guard down," Izuku groaned, the words muffled.

Aizawa let off, even offering a hand to help him up. "But I was serious about Nezu. He was already curious about you, but your analysis left him fascinated."

Izuku swallowed thickly. He had come to know that the attention of U.A.'s principal was by no means a good thing. "So what does that mean?"

"It means we're done for today," Aizawa said, rolling his shoulders. "If you're up to it, Nezu has invited you for tea just about now. It's up to you whether or not to accept the invitation, but I would remind you that Nezu has been gracious enough to allow you the use of U.A. property."

As terrifying as the prospect was, Izuku couldn't deny his curiosity. "Which way to his office?"

The principal's office was impressive, but simple as U.A. in general seemed to be. The principal of indeterminate species glanced up from his paperwork when the door opened. "Ah, Mr. Midoriya. I was wondering whether or not you would accept my offer."

"At the very least I should thank you for allowing me to train on school property with school staff even though I am not one of your students," Izuku said, trying not to sound as flustered as he felt.

"I've been curious about you ever since I was approached about training you by not only Recovery Girl, but Eraserhead as well," Nezu said, motioning for Izuku to sit down. "Naturally I had also been informed about the new Provisional Police Badge program that currently has exactly one participant, and Dr. Meiji has been bragging about the pupil he snagged out from under my nose. Imagine my surprise when I learned that all of these monumental achievements belong to the same fifteen-year-old. I can't express how right Meiji is - it really is a shame that I wasn't able to welcome you into U.A. as one of our students. But no matter, it appears you're being trained properly on multiple accounts. As I'm sure Aizawa told you, I've seen your analysis of him, and I'm fascinated. Would you care for a conversation over tea?"

"I'd be delighted," Izuku said cautiously, waiting for the other shoe to drop. He'd heard too many stories about the principal for there not to be another shoe.

"I've heard about you from many people, Midoriya. You've been taken on by a number of pro heroes that wish to train you, even outside of Eraserhead and Recovery Girl, and you've taken down the Hero Killer Stain yourself. Why not try to become a hero?" Nezu asked.

"When I was younger I wanted nothing more," Izuku admitted. "But there's no way that you don't know that I'm quirkless, Principal Nezu."

"And there's no way that you don't know by now that you easily could have become a hero without a quirk," Nezu countered. "You've easily proven yourself more capable than some of our own hero course students."

"I have that confidence now, but when I needed it, there were lines of people telling me that becoming a hero wasn't a possibility, including heroes," Izuku said with a bittersweet smile. "But I like the path I'm on."

"As much as I would love it, I know I can't change your mind," Nezu said. "Just as I know that you're Meiji's protege. But I would like to ask a favor of you, Midoriya."

"Yes?"

"I'd like to get to know you better. I understand you're a busy man, so all that I ask is that you make time to have tea with me once a month. I already find myself invested in your future."

"Oh, of course! I would love to!"

The longer the conversation went on, the more Izuku found himself relaxing. He had heard plenty of stories about the unsettling feeling that came with the attention of Nezu, but Izuku felt no such discomfort. Nezu was wildly intelligent, yes, but he was perfectly kind and polite to Izuku.

Meanwhile, Nezu was becoming more and more intrigued by this child every minute. He was beginning to see the full scope of the true tragedy of U.A. never teaching Midoriya Izuku - at least not in any way they could officially take credit for. After all, it was for someone precisely like Midoriya that Nezu had allowed quirkless children apply to the hero course.

When the time came, Nezu reluctantly let the boy go. He was already formulating subtle topics of conversation for next month to learn more about the boy. Midoriya was bright and genuine, and he had a rare strength of character. He was completely selfless in his desire to help people. Indeed, on more than one occasion Aizawa had muttered about the boy getting himself killed. But Nezu knew how quirkless people were treated, especially the ones who refused to stay in the shadows.

Nezu felt a strange kinship with Midoriya Izuku, he supposed. The boy bore so many of those signs of someone used and abused by humans, many of those signs that Nezu himself once bore. How the boy was so free of hatred and anger was a mystery, though. If such a creature did exist, surely it deserved better than this world.

A knock sounded at the open office door where Aizawa and Chiyo stood. "You called for us?"

"Ah, yes. Come in, please! Come in," Nezu said brightly. "As you two know him best, tell me a bit about Midoriya Izuku."

Meanwhile, Izuku sneezed on his walk home.

"Bless you."

"Thank yo- Hey! Shinsou! I haven't seen you for a while!"

The purple-haired boy looked just as exhausted as ever, but he half-smiled. "If you would stop sacrificing limbs to stop serial killers than maybe we could find time to hang out."

"It was only one time, and I had limited options," Izuku said defensively. "You people act like I have a secret quirk that causes me injuries."

"I'm just screwing with you, Midoriya. Really though, I haven't seen you for a while with your gimpy leg and whatnot."

Izuku scratched the back of his head. "Recovery Girl took pity on me and healed me, but she also made me promise to go through physical therapy before I was allowed to spar again. Today was my first day back with Aizawa, and I'm going back to the dojo on Monday."

"I would say it sounds like you've had some spare time lately, but I know you've just over achieved as usual."

"I wouldn't call it over achieving-"

"What?" Shinsou asked, amusement clear in his eyes. "You only added another thirty pages to your analysis of Eraserhead, and then you finished high school just because?"

"I still have a term and a half left of high school," Izuku muttered. "And I analyzed a lot of people, not just Eraserhead."

"So you took it easy," Shinsou said, completely deadpan. "Midoriya, it pains me to say this, but you need to get out more, have some fun."

"I have fun!" Izuku protested. "Just last week we had a birthday party for Officer Kondo at the station."

"I mean fun that doesn't involve people a decade older than us."

"But Mori is only -"

"No, Midoriya. First of all, he hates you. Besides, if anything Mori is anti-fun."

Izuku thought before grumbling, "Okay then, what do you suggest I do for fun?"

Shinso had the audacity to shrug without looking up from his phone. "Don't ask me, I haven't had fun in years."

"Well then it sounds like you need to go and have fun just as much as I do! What do your friends do for fun?"

"Bold of you to assume I have friends."

"Well, I know Ojiro trains, and Iida… also trains," Izuku said slowly. "I'm assuming that training isn't counting as fun."

"Nope."

"Isn't the mall supposed to be fun? People seem to go there a lot."

Shinsou wrinkled his nose. "The mall? Where hundreds of troglodytes that think themselves superior to you and me flock? Surely this is not the mall that you speak of."

"You're being dramatic. Tomorrow if you're free, we can go to the mall for a while and when we get bored, we can go play video games at your house." The two stared one another down before Izuku added, "If the mall is awful, I'll pay for lunch."

A slow smile spread across Shinsou's face. "I believe we have a deal, Midoriya."

"No super expensive sushi!"

The two parted with plans to meet the next morning. Izuku was absurdly excited. He had no idea what to do at the mall, he had only been a handful of times with his mom, and that usually consisted of her shoving various clearance clothes at him in a desperate attempt to get him to wear something other than his "t-shirt" shirts. He doubted this would be like that, but he was going to the mall with a friend. This was even more exciting than the time he'd gone to the arcade with Ojiro.

When he got there, Izuku barrelled right into his house, and upon finding Inko asked, "CanIgotothemallwithShinsoutomorrow?"

Inko blinked. "Say that one more time, slower."

"Can I go to the mall with Shinsou tomorrow?"

She began blinking again, but this time it was blinking tears from her eyes. "Of course you can! My baby, going to the mall with a friend."

There were quite a few tears shared between the mother and son, and later that night Izuku could hardly sleep for excitement. For a day he was going to be a normal teenager at the mall with a friend.

That said, Izuku woke up absurdly early Saturday morning. He knew Shinsou would never stand for being woken up at this time, and the mall wasn't even open yet, so Izuku found himself running to the Police Station. He could say hi to whoever happened to be on duty.

Smiling at the thought, Izuku slowed to a jog, and then a walk when he got to the front entrance into the station. He would need to shower once he got home, and then he could -

"Ugh, it's the golden child. Of course you just get up and go for a run at the crack of dawn, because Midoriya actually has his life together. Well you listen here, you little twerp. People only like you because they feel bad for you. Stain probably -"

Mori was cut off when Sohma slapped a hand over his mouth. "Don't pay attention to him, Midoriya. He's a little bitter about having the graveyard shift, and sleep deprivation brings out a different side of him - it makes him honest."

"At least he's finally off meter maid duty," Izuku said, moving to the water cooler for a drink.

"Saito's got a betting pool on how long that lasts," Tamakawa said, emerging from the staff room. "I'm giving him a week."

Mori wrenched Sohma's hand from his mouth. "Why are you even here, kid? I swear you're here more often than I am, and I'm paid to be here. It's pathetic, don't you have friends?"

Sohma tensed, ready to send Mori to the corner, but Izuku just laughed. "I'm actually going to hang out with a friend later today, I just woke up early and had time to kill. Besides, I love being here, don't you?"

The more Izuku spoke, the more Mori looked like he was about to explode. "I need either more sleep or more caffeine to deal with this brat."

While Mori sat in his corner (of his own volition), Izuku enjoyed tea and donuts with the other officers. Saito brought donuts to the station at least weekly to "keep up their image."

Izuku stayed like that even after Sohma and Mori finished their shift - he simply made more tea and enjoyed it with Sasaki and Kondo when they came in, and later Tsukauchi.

Sasaki fought Tsukauchi for the last of the fritters before asking, "So Little Midoriya, how's the Police Academy treating you?"

"Oh, I'm learning tons!" Izuku said excitedly, eyes shining. "And since the Stain incident, the other students have been leaving me alone."

Kondo paused, her tea cup halfway to her lips. Her eyes were extra frosty as she asked, "They've been messing with you?"

"Oh, nothing as bad as middle school was," Izuku said blithely. "Mostly they would just ignore me, but a few people claimed that I was too young and a waste of resources. One of them found out that I was involved in multiple cases that made the news and tried to convince people that I just wanted to be famous or something."

"Why didn't you tell anyone about this before?" Sasaki demanded, her wings fluttering anxiously.

"It's no big deal," Izuku said quickly. "Really, it's nothing. I was used to dealing with worse in Middle School. Their teasing means nothing if it gets me to my goal. Besides, now I've got all of you guys standing behind me, along with real friends. I couldn't possibly complain about any of that."

Izuku stayed and chatted until it was almost time to meet Shinsou. He waved goodbye before racing out the door - if he hurried, he would have just enough time to shower.

Once Midoriya was definitely out of earshot, Kondo made eye contact with each of her coworkers. "We're going to drop in on some of those Police Academy trainings, aren't we?"

"Right after we shut down his middle school for neglect," Tsukauchi said, already scribbling notes. "Midoriya is too stubborn to name names, but I'm sure I can find something."

While those people at the police station began plotting, Izuku was practically skipping home. It had already started off as a wonderful day, and now he was going to the mall with a friend. What could go wrong?

* * *

 **A/N: I was going to skip over the mall scene, but then IDEAS! I got so excited about writing that scene that I finished this chapter in like two days? I also needed an excuse to include Nezu, because I find him a really intriguing character. It was all going to be one chapter, but it felt better separate, so have some fluff.**

 **On a different note, my friend Kit has changed her mind. She wants to keep the fanny pack around as long as I officially change it to the "Save My Fanny Pack" instead of the "Don't Rape Me Kit," but she can pry the fanny pack out of my cold, dead hands. Kit has also begun referring to this story as "Detectidoriya" and I can't unhear it.**


	14. Chapter 14

Somehow Shinsou looked even more exhausted than usual when he opened the front door. Violet eyes landed on the excited face of Izuku briefly before the door almost immediately closed on his face.

Izuku blinked, but before he could really question what had just happened, Shinsou reappeared with sunglasses in place. "Now I can handle your smile. Let's go, Sunshine Child."

"I can't wait!" Izuku said, practically bouncing along the pavement.

"Are you going taser shopping? You'd probably get some free stuff. A new self-defense store opened in the mall, and they say that you're the reason business is booming. They even sell those awful fanny packs that you love so much," Shinsou said, eyeing the offensive article in question.

"It was a gift," he said, adjusting the Save My Fanny Pack - he preferred that name, especially when he was wearing it with one of his labelled t-shirts. It fit with the puns on them. He just had to be careful to call it the Don't Rape Me Kit in front of Saito and Sasaki.

"It looks like a bruised banana fused onto your waist," Shinsou deadpanned.

"What was that? You want one for Christmas?"

"Midoriya, you wouldn't," Shinsou said in a warning voice. Izuku said nothing, only walking faster. Worried, Shinsou also picked up the pace. "Midoriya! Get your broccoli butt back here!"

Breaking into a run, Izuku sprinted through the mall entrance, expertly dodging the hoardes of people. But Shinsou wasn't far behind. Dashing around the mall courtyard, he turned back to taunt, "I think lime green would really make your eyes pop!"

"Midoriya, I swear I'm going to- wait, watch out!"

Just as Shinsou called out, Izuku felt, or rather, didn't feel his foot strike the ground. Stairs. He had survived the sludge villain, a kidnapper, and even the Hero Killer, but he was going to meet his end via stairs. Izuku readied himself for the fall that would break a bone and finally make the police station get him a protective bubble, but it never came.

He hadn't realized he closed his eyes until he opened them back up - he felt odd, weightless, and standing in front of him was-

"Sorry I just used my quirk like that," said Uraraka. "I figured you wouldn't want to fall. Oh, I know you! Hi Midoriya!"

Izuku easily got his feet under him once more and she released her quirk, returning Izuku's world back to normal.

"Thanks for the save, your quirk really is amazing!" Izuku gushed, hoping his face wasn't as red as it felt. "I mean, I already knew that, but-"

"Hey, Midoriya," Ojiro interrupted, sensing that he was about to get lost in a more embarrassing tangent than usual. "What brings you to the mall?"

Izuku cleared his throat, thankful for the direction in conversation. "Oh, nothing in particular, I just had free time for once, so I convinced Shinsou to come with me…" he trailed off awkwardly, suddenly noticing the palpable tension between the 1-A students and Shinsou.

The boy in question didn't bother to take off his sunglasses, he just lazily glanced at them over the frames. "At ease, 1-A. I'm not here to fight you. Besides, Midoriya is a bit of a stickler for following quirk laws. I suppose your class is here to get ready for your mysterious summer camp."

He had recognized a few students from 1-A, but seeing the majority of the class there made Izuku's mouth go dry. "O-oh, you must be waiting for your other classmates, then."

"Just Ashido and Tokoyami," Ojiro said. "Bakugou and Todoroki aren't coming."

A redhead with remarkably sharp teeth broke into the conversation before anyone but Ojiro and Shinsou could pick up on Izuku's relief. "Midoriya… You're the guy that took down Stain, aren't you? That's super manly, bro! How do you know Ojiro and Uraraka?"

"He was one of the EMTs after the USJ incident, he was super nice!" Hagakure said, startling a few people around her.

"Midoriya goes to the same dojo as me," Ojiro said in his calm manner.

"And he helped train me at my internship," Uraraka said brightly.

"Oh wow, you must be really good then," said a blond standing just a tad too close to the earphone jack girl.

"Duh, he took down Stain," she said, her jacks forming a cross to ward him off.

As the class fawned over Midoriya, Ochako stood back and observed. The boy seemed more confident than the last time she'd seen him, but she felt the need to thank him. Even more, she felt the need to know him, to be his friend. It was strange and rare, but unexplainable.

Tenya watched Uraraka watching Midoriya and felt duty-bound to give Midoriya the opportunity to at least talk to the girl alone, yet in an appropriate setting such as this. When there was a lull in the conversation, he broke in, hand chopping the air with each syllable. "Midoriya, you and Uraraka should take this opportunity to get to know one another outside of a professional capacity, as you have been able to with Ojiro and myself. This appears to be extremely fortuitous timing."

"Ooh, like a date?" Ashido asked, appearing out of nowhere and startling Izuku. "Who's the green bean?"

"B-b-but I came here with Shinsou," Izuku said in a panicked mutter, his arms contorting into crazy shapes as he sought to hide his red face. "I can't just leave him alone!"

"Shinsou could accompany me while I seek out more durable glasses frames-"

"I would rather die."

"-or we could all meet up afterwards, perhaps to get a healthy smoothie!" Iida said proudly, ignoring Shinsou's comment altogether.

"Smoothies sound good!" Kirishima said.

Ashido looked around helplessly. "Seriously, who is Midoriya? How does everyone know this kid but me?"

Izuku and Shinsou parted ways with 1-A, much to their relief. Izuku knew exactly what Iida was trying to do, and while he appreciated it, it was bad for his heart. He just knew if they stayed any longer he would make a complete fool of himself. At least Iida hadn't attempted to whisper anything to him.

Shinsou was just glad to get away from Class 1-A.

The two wandered the mall, looking at anything that intrigued either of them (which translates to anything that interested Midoriya). It wasn't the worst thing in the world, but Shinsou made it no secret that Midoriya would be buying him lunch.

When Shinsou _still_ showed complete apathy an hour or so later, Midoriya looked a bit like a kicked puppy. He'd stopped teasing Shinsou about buying him a Save My Fanny Pack. (He really still couldn't say "Don't Rape Me Kit" without blushing.) But now Midoriya looked like he was about to cry, and Shinsou didn't know if he was emotionally equipped to deal with that.

"I'm sorry I made you come with me, I just thought we should do something fun while we both had time. I'll text Iida and tell him we had to leave early and-"

"Hey, it's fine, Midoriya," Shinsou said, cutting off the other boy's mumbling. "I'm actually enjoying this more than I thought I would. I just don't know how to deal with people. Or emotions. It's a miracle I haven't scared you off yet."

Izuku sniffed. "You promise you're not just saying that?"

"Nah, I wouldn't lie to you. Hey, we should go into that shop. I can get something for that blond jerk from 1-A."

"Just made sure it's not traceable," Izuku said, feeling a bit better as they made their way towards the joke shop in question. "I would hate to have to solve your murder."

Shinsou squinted at him. "You seem to be very well informed on Mr. Compensates-With-Explosions."

"Ooh, look, they've got Chinese finger traps on sale!" Izuku said brightly. "Apparently these are specially made to withstand minor strength-enhancement quirks."

"Nice subject change. Hand me that powder that apparently makes everything you eat taste like radishes by your hand."

The two spent quite some time in the joke shop until Izuku noticed the food court rapidly filling up. "Shinsou, I'm going to buy my stuff and go get a table for us. I'll meet you there!"

"Fine, go make sure everything is perfect for your date," he replied. "Though are you really buying twenty Chinese finger traps?"

"It's not a date," Izuku muttered, red staining his cheeks.

"Semantics. Go make Space Girl proud."

Still blushing, Izuku scuttled away, clutching his purchases close to his body. He likely would have skipped though the mall if there had been less of a crowd. As it stood he was jostled back and forth, and he worried about finding a table until he saw it - there was a pocket in the food court that was practically uninhabited, he just had to claim it.

He had to hustle, but Izuku made it to the largest table the area offered before anyone else could. He grinned happily - it would be fun to have smoothies with his friends at the mall. Part of him almost didn't believe that any of this day was happening. It had seemed like maybe he would never get to experience these normal teenager things.

There was some time before everyone would get there, so Izuku pulled out his phone. Dr. Meiji had had some feedback on his last analysis, and he hadn't gotten the chance to read it yet. He was so absorbed in reading it that Izuku didn't realize anyone was near until that person sat directly next to him and rasped, "Wow, I recognize you! You're that kid from the news, the quirkless boy who stopped Stain."

Izuku's head jerked up, his eyes meeting the man's red ones framed by pale blue hair. He couldn't help but notice how dry and cracked the man's lips were, which was somehow his most distinguishing characteristic. An uneasy feeling settled into Izuku's gut, but he took care to breathe steadily and deeply even as the man slung an arm over his shoulders.

"That was quite the accomplishment, taking down Stain with nothing but your little pack. It was all the media could talk about for weeks. It must be so frustrating for you. They still talk about him, but you've been forgotten or mocked by the public, along with the other things that happened in Hosu that night."

Drawing as far away from the man as he could, Izuku slowly asked, "You mean those Nomu things that attacked the city that night?"

The man had some nervous tics, and one of them seemed to be playing with the neck of his hoodie, fingers curled like he wanted to scratch at his neck. The neck of his hoodie was frayed, and - no. The edge of the fabric wasn't frayed, the fabric was flaking away in a pattern that he had only seen once before. Images of Aizawa's destroyed elbow flashed through his mind - this was not good.

"Oh, you remember at least. Tell me quirkless boy, you've been pretty mistreated, haven't you? Even after you were the one to take down Stain, he gets all of the attention and praise. Doesn't it just piss you off?"

Reaching for his fanny pack was too noticeable, too obvious, and as four fingers came to rest on his throat, Izuku swallowed heavily. He couldn't make or cause any abrupt movements, not without losing his esophagus. Aizawa had been happy to explain this particular quirk to him.

"It definitely pisses me off," the man continued, despite Izuku's failure to respond. "But we could fix that for you."

"Are you trying to reform society or something?" Izuku asked, his fingers silently snaking into his bag.

"Well yes, but I was talking about your quirklessness," he said as if it meant nothing. "I should introduce myself, I do want us to be comrades, after all. I'm Shigaraki Tomura, leader of-"

"Leader of the League of Villains," Izuku interrupted.

"So you've heard of me," Shigaraki said with a grin that showed too many teeth. "I've taken an interest in you, Midoriya. Do you know why that is?"

Izuku found what he wanted in the bag, holding it steady in the hand that wasn't in Shigaraki's direct line of sight. He had one shot at this. If he screwed up, he was definitely dead, and it would inevitably endanger countless civilians as well. Trying to sound normal, he asked, "No, why are you interested in me?"

"Because we're the same, Midoriya," he rasped. "Abused, overlooked, neglected by heroes…"

"So what are you proposing?" Izuku asked, his voice deceptively calm and confident.

"Join us. Join us and you'll have the power and the quirk to get back at everyone, even the heroes that have failed you."

In his passion, Shigaraki's grip on Izuku's throat loosened. Time seemed to slow down, each of Izuku's heartbeats pounding through his body. He struggled to keep his mind calm, taking a few deep breaths before he struck.

Moving as quickly as his body allowed, one hand wrenched back the finger that wasn't resting on Izuku's neck while the other hand jammed a Chinese finger trap onto that finger. While the man yelled in surprise, Izuku's hand darted out and snatched the first finger he could on Shigaraki's other hand, brutally shoving it into the other end of the trap.

"What do you think you're doing, brat, I can-"

Before Shigaraki could even really threaten Izuku, he shoved a second Chinese finger trap onto the man, cementing Izuku's temporary safety.

Fury lit Shigaraki's eyes, a feral fury that made Izuku shake in his seat. "I'll kill you, Midoriya. I'll find everything and everyone-"

"Yo, who are you, some crusty creep that likes to prey on young boys?" a new voice broke in.

"HOW DARE YOU, I'LL KI-"

"Step away from Midoriya and shut up," Shinsou commanded in a flat voice.

When Shigaraki did as commanded with a vacant stare, Izuku put as much distance between the two as possible, breathing deeply, trying to keep his tears from falling. "What did he do, Midoriya?"

"H-he was trying to recruit me," Izuku said. "I need to call Tsukauchi. That's-"

"Is that the leader of the League of Villains?" Iida hissed in a whisper, which meant that only people within a ten-foot radius heard.

The members of 1-A that had just gotten to the table gasped and began asking questions all at once as Midoriya began babbling into the phone. Their noise only grew, and Shinsou felt his eye twitch a few times. "All of you, shut up! Ojiro, you know Midoriya best, comfort him. Class President, go get mall security," Shinsou commanded before prying the phone out of Izuku's hand. "Detective, this is Shinsou Hitoshi."

"Shinsou, what's going on?" a frantic Tsukauchi demanded over the phone. "I couldn't make out what Midoriya was trying to tell me."

"Hey, Pikachu, don't you dare touch the crusty dude," Shinsou hissed at Kaminari, who was curiously sidling a little too close to Shigaraki. "Detective, you should probably get to the mall as quickly as possibly. It appears that Midoriya has caught the leader of the League of Villains in a Chinese finger trap."

By the time Shinsou had explained all he could and hung up, Ojiro had Izuku calmed down and Iida was coming back with two mall cops in tow. A handful of the 1-A students had actually made themselves useful and begun herding people away from the area.

"Midoriya, should I release my quirk to avoid legal ramifications, or command him to come along peacefully?"

"Technically any unauthorized public quirk use is illegal. I would let it go and we'll all just conveniently forget that it ever happened," Izuku said, meeting eyes with the various members of 1-A.

Ojiro watched, fascinated as Shigaraki immediately transformed into a screaming, flailing child. As the mall cops descended, Ojiro said, "I have to apologize, Shinsou. I see now that I judged you and your quirk on my own ideas of being a hero. You're just doing the best you can, just like the rest of us. I'm glad Midoriya could see past that when I couldn't."

"Please don't start crying," Shinsou said. "But I judged you a little too harshly too. Thanks for helping Midoriya."

Izuku glanced between the two with shining eyes until Shinsou deadpanned, "We're not going to hug it that's what you were waiting for."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for this chapter being so late, my little sister just graduated high school and so we had an absurd number of people at my house, which meant that I had little to no writing time. But I'm back! Thank you as always for your comments, it really helps me! I've been ordered to tell you all that Kit completely disapproves of how Izuku took care of Shigaraki, but I think this might have been my best idea yet. Let me know what you all think.**

 **Side note, I've been toying with the idea of starting a Tumblr. Thoughts? Would anyone actually read what I posted? Let me know and see you next time!**


	15. Chapter 15

"I don't know if we should be more concerned for Little Midoriya when he gets here or the detective," Saito said as she filed papers.

Tamakawa looked up from polishing his bell collar. "Why should we be worried about the detective?"

Saito glanced around, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Nakamura told me she found a receipt for like twelve bottles of antacids. You didn't hear this from me, but Tsukauchi might be on his way to another ulcer."

"But he hasn't had one since-" but the cat-headed officer was interrupted by the door opening to reveal the smiling face of Midoriya Izuku. "Good morning, Saito, Tamakawa. How are you two today?"

"Little Midoriya! We're-"

"CHINESE FINGER TRAPS?!" Tsukauchi roared, emerging from his office. "You nearly died at the hand of the leader of the League of Villains, and you bet your life on _Chinese finger traps?_ "

"Yes?" Izuku squeaked.

"Let's calm down, Detective," Tamakawa said gently. "It was actually brilliant on Midoriya's part."

"Brilliance doesn't do anything if it pisses off someone enough to kill you," Tsukachi said, shaking Izuku by the shoulders. "It wouldn't matter if we had kept him in custody, but he never even made it to police custody. He disappeared before anyone could arrive on the scene."

A woman Izuku had never met before appeared from Tsukauchi's office, smacking the man. "That wasn't the kid's fault, he did more than his part. Just tell the kid he did a good job."

"I have every right to worry, I don't know what I'd do if-"

"Naomasa, shut up," the woman said, menacingly adjusting her incredibly thick-lensed glasses. "I know exactly how you feel, it's called being a parent. But you're turning into a helicopter parent, which is not healthy. Now tell the kid he did well."

Izuku frantically waved his arms. "Oh, that's not necessary. Detective Tsukauchi is right, I can be reckless and-"

"Midoriya, it was well done, I just can't help but worry about you," Tsukauchi interrupted, gently placing a hand on his shoulder once more.

The boy stared at the detective a few moments before promptly bursting into tears.

"Saito told me the kid was a crier, but I didn't expect it to be this bad," the woman said. "Anyway, it's nice to meet you. Midoriya. I'm Detective Kimura. I specialize in investigating homicides, but I'm currently away on maternity leave. Tsukauchi just wanted a second opinion on a case, though I'm glad I got to meet you."

"You've heard of me?" Izuku asked, eyes still watering.

"Oh, I feel like I already know you. Everyone has told me so much about you, all of it good except what Mori says. But I've never liked him anyway."

"You too, Kimura? Seriously?" Mori called from his corner.

"Anyway, I look forward to working together. I've got to go, and Naomasa has some things to talk to you about," Kimura said with a kind smile. "Saito, you can accompany me to my car and clean up the vaseline you smeared under the door handles."

"How did you know?" Saito demanded.

"I'm a mother. I see all."

While Saito squabbled with Kimura, Tsukauchi waved Izuku into his office. Once inside, Tsukauchi ran a hand through his hair. "Kimura is right, you did incredibly well at the mall considering the circumstances. It just bothers me that it happened at all. You shouldn't constantly be in danger like this. But I need to learn to accept that it will only get worse from here."

Izuku bit his lip, worries he'd pushed down coming to the surface. "Tsukauchi? When Shigaraki was talking to me, he… he said some things I didn't say in my report."

"Oh?" The detective straightened, his eyes serious. "I'm sure you had good reason."

"It was just a feeling…" Izuku said hesitantly, and Naomasa was instantly concerned. In his time with the boy, he'd been happy to see how confident he'd grown. It had been obvious, in the beginning that this strange, wonderful boy had been hurt beyond what he should have been able to handle. And in that one sentence, they were back to square one.

"I trust your judgement," Naomasa said firmly.

He bit his lip before nodding. "Shigaraki said we were the s-same, we were both looked down on by society and forgotten… forgotten by heroes. He wanted me to join him, and he… he offered me power and a quirk. I know that's not possible, but for a minute it sounded _really_ good."

Tsukauchi felt his heart stutter at the boy's words. It couldn't be - no. They weren't sure that All For One was alive, it was just a suspicion because of those Nomu things, and he refused to entertain the idea that All For One was so close to Midoriya.

"For a moment. I wanted it," Izuku confessed, tears overflowing. "I wanted to show everyone that I wasn't just a useless Deku, prove it to my classmates and teachers, and even the heroes that told me I could never be one of them."

He was crying in earnest now, and the detective didn't know what to do other than to embrace the boy. Now more than ever he wanted to take away Izuku's pain, make the people who had hurt him realize the full extent of what they'd done.

But he couldn't do anything about that now. "I don't know everything about your past, Midoriya, but anyone would have felt that way. But I know you would never do anything like that, Midoriya, you more than anyone are motivated by the simple desire to help people. You're already more of a hero than everyone who told you these things."

The boy's tears had already soaked through Naomasa's shirt, but it was of no consequence. They stayed like that until Izuku was composed again. He pulled back, discreetly wiping his eyes. "What did you need to tell me, Tsukauchi?"

"So this is sudden, but Tsuragamae has decided on your next training placement. He wants you to get a more holistic view of policeword, so he's sending you to a rural station on Monday. We've already gotten permission from your mother, by the way."

"How rural are we talking? Like, do I need to finish all of my assignments before I go because I won't have internet?"

"Not quite that rural. Besides, they're going to start training you to properly shoot a gun, so please actually sleep, don't stay up all night doing homework. But the area is just rural enough to pack carefully, because you won't be finding any stores close by. Their crime rate is nearly zero, which means you only have a fifty-percent chance of getting involved in villain activity," Tsukauchi said, only half-joking.

"So is there anything special I need to bring?"

"Definitely the fanny pack, but just bring the normal stuff."

Izuku raised an eyebrow. "So you won't take a stance on the whole Don't Rape Me Kit versus the Save My Fanny Pack controversy?"

"I think Save My Fanny Pack is incredibly clever, but I also have a healthy fear of Saito."

"Fair enough. If that's all you have to tell me about, why don't you fill me in on Detective Kimura? I've only heard stories from Saito and Sasaki, but she didn't seem as… intense as they made her out to be."

Tsukauchi paused, surreptitiously glancing around his office. It didn't appear that Kimura had bugged the room again in her short time there, but he better choose his words carefully regardless. "Kimura is quite possibly Japan's best homicide detective, and unlike me she doesn't have a quirk that helps in investigation. When she officially comes back, you should definitely ask her about her quirk. You'll love it.

"But I'm getting sidetracked. She already likes you, which is good, because she'll be able to teach you some of the most valuable things you'll ever learn about police work. Just _never,_ and I repeat _never_ get in between her and Saito during one of their prank wars. They will team up and then we'll never hear from you again."

Izuku swallowed, slowly nodding. The two chatted for a while longer, but the boy's news still weighed heavily on the detective. When the boy left, he was smiling again, saying, "I better get home now. We're having Kirimi and her mother over for dinner tonight."

Naomasa watched him go before lowering his head into his hands. He stayed like that for a few minutes, processing, until he finally picked up his phone. It only rang a few times before the other person picked up.

"What can I do for you, Naomasa?"

"Toshinori, we need to meet somewhere discreet, I have some important information."

"As in, state secret type of information?" Toshinori asked hesitantly.

"That would be the type."

"Let's meet at the school. The only person that might overhear is Nezu."

When Tsukauchi left his office walking with a clear purpose, even Mori knew not to question him. To work at their station meant a quiet acceptance that Tsukauchi knew things and people he never talked about. It wasn't very common, but the man was known to rush to random places with little to no warning. It worried his subordinates. They had gleaned a bit of information over the past few years, and it was just enough for them to worry about whether or not the detective would come back alive.

Naomasa had similar feelings about Toshinori. He desperately wanted to yell at the man, force him to be at least marginally less reckless. But if he did that, he knew Toshi would simply shut him out, just as he'd done to Gran Torino and Sir Nighteye.

His friendship with Toshi was one of his most treasured relationships, but it wasn't an easy one. Naomasa internally acknowledged this as he waited at U.A.'s gates for someone to let him in.

A few minutes passed, and then none other than the number one hero walked up, his emaciated face serious. "What is so urgent, Naomasa? What have you found?"

The detective ushered Toshi forward - he refused to have this conversation anywhere there was even a chance of being overheard. Toshinori understood the concept of a state secret, but his life consisted of them. Besides, years of being the most powerful had made him somewhat lax, or perhaps overconfident. The hero didn't tell him everything, but it was obvious to the detective that All Might needed to find a successor sooner rather than later.

They found themselves in something not dissimilar to an interrogation room. It felt a little odd to sit across from Toshinori in such a setting, but there was no time to dwell on that.

"He's back, and he's active," Naomasa said point-blank. "The League is almost definitely affiliated with All For One."

"What makes you so sure? What have you found?"

"We've managed to keep it out of the news, but when your students were at the mall, so was Shigaraki Tomura. Before you ask, no, he didn't target or harm any of them. Instead he targeted Midoriya Izuku, the boy who took down Stain."

Toshinori's hands clenched into fists. "Is the boy alright? What happened?"

"Midoriya is fine, he's got immense amounts of luck and intelligence. He actually captured Shigaraki, but the villain escaped from mall custody. I'm more concerned about the fact that Midoriya says that Shigaraki was trying to recruit him, and he even went so far as to offer the boy a quirk."

Toshinori gasped. "Do you think the boy would join them? He made such an impact in taking down Stain, if the boy joined the League of Villains, public opinion of heroes would take a hit."

Naomasa felt an unusual spark of anger at his friend's question - his mind flashed to an injured Midoriya babbling about people telling him he could never be a hero. "I am more likely to join the League of Villains than Midoriya ever would be. But you need to get serious, Toshinori. Your time as the Symbol of Peace may not be gone, but it's winding down. You need to find a successor soon enough that you can train them before it's too late."

"Naomasa, I-"

"I trust your instincts. I won't try to tell you who to choose as your successor, but right now, All for One and Shigaraki are doing whatever they please." Naomasa paused, a small smile gracing his face as he thought of Midoriya, the joy and energy that he brought to the station.

He knew the kind of life All Might led. He had once seen it as inspiring, but now he saw the overwhelming loneliness his friend had trapped himself in. "When you do find that person, Toshi, do me a favor and let them in. I've only realized just how lonely I was, and how much a better person I've become from having someone really close to me. Besides, the chances are that they need you almost as much as you need them."

* * *

 **A/N: This is probably starting to sound old, but sorry this latest chapter took so long. I just started a second summer job and then there was a bunch of family stuff that came up, as well as some major writer's block. Thank you all so much for reading, and your wonderful comments on the last chapter! The comments I got were literally the only thing that motivated me to keep writing, so keep them coming! Kit still hates the fact that I used Chinese finger traps to take care of Shigaraki, FYI. I don't think she's going to warm up to the idea like she did with the Save My Fanny Pack.**

 **But on a different note, I did make a Tumblr account! My handle on there is the same as on here, so just look up Rogueptoridactyl and I shall appear. I'd love to hear from you on a slightly different platform, and who knows, I might post some sneak peeks of chapters I'm working on!**

 **-Rogue**


	16. Chapter 16

Early Monday morning, Officer Sohma arrived at the Midoriya household to pick up Izuku for this week's assigned post. He was kind of excited for the trip, it would be a nice break from the chaos of the last few months. Maybe the smaller, slower-paced station would be just what Izuku needed.

He didn't know Officer Sohma very well, but the man had always been kind to Izuku. He imagined that his relationship with Sohma was similar to what most people experienced with their grandparents. That said, after a few awkwardly silent minutes, Sohma was able to get Izuku talking. In true grandfather form, he was able to get Izuku to talk about his hopes, his dreams, his interests, even some things that Izuku had never told his mother. When he got started in on quirk analysis, it was clear that he had lost the man, but Sohma still made an effort to understand, which warmed Izuku beyond anything he'd ever felt before.

In turn, Izuku asked about Sohma. He had been at the station the longest - actually, he had started his career at that very station. His quirk was called Icy Gale, meaning he could summon frigid gusts of wind. He credited his quirk for being the reason he met his wife. It had been a particularly hot summer day and she had feigned interest in him to have access to the cold air. He had been fully aware that she was using him, and he let it happen, bargaining for at least one date out of the exchange. Now they had three kids and seven grandkids.

By the end of the car ride, Sohma was ready to adopt Izuku. He admired the boy's resilience, and swore that one day he would find who had hurt the boy so deeply and give them a firm talking to before turning them over to Naomasa.

Izuku's greeting at the new station was… underwhelming. All four of their officers were working that day to meet him, Chief Urushihara, a portly Officer Hanazawa, and the married couple, Officers Abeno. He learned that he would be staying at the Chief's home through the duration of his stay. Urushihara began talking about all the different things that they would do with and teach to Izuku as Sohma bid him farewell, telling him that Tamakawa would be here to pick him up Friday afternoon.

Excitement built in Izuku along with his nervousness as he waved Sohma goodbye. He filed in after the Abenos, the two tripping over themselves to question him about his exploits thus far. They listened to him intently as he told his story and Hanazawa feigned disinterest, occasionally sniffing in disdain.

When he finished talking, Izuku found himself nervously adjusting his fanny pack. He'd brought it on Tsukauchi's recommendation, but he rarely went anywhere without it. For some reason he'd found himself bringing his replacement medical pack, but it gave him some comfort having it near. "So what are we doing today?"

Urushihara settled himself into a chair that was perfectly molded to him - it was hard to distinguish where Urushihara began and the chair ended. "You've already had plenty of excitement today, so we're going to take it easy. Come on Midoriya, put your feet up. My wife will be here shortly with lunch."

Izuku glanced around, surveying the goings on. One of the Abenos was yelling at Hanazawa to finish his paperwork from two months ago while the other organized a file cabinet. His excitement diminished considerably as he realized just how this particular station was run. The chief went on some tangent about the sacred duties and responsibilities of a police officer before settling in further to begin reading the newspaper.

It was clear the station was only running because of the Abenos. Izuku had thought that this particular placement had been to get him away from villain activity for a while, but Tsuragamae might have had some ulterior motives in addition to that. This station was a disaster. At one point the Abenos asked if they could take Izuku to the shooting range to get him started on training, but Urushihara just waved a hand. "Don't overwhelm the boy, he's already had a big day. He needs time to adjust, we'll start his gun training on Wednesday."

The Abenos left a few hours later because they had taken the night shift, and Izuku was left with nothing to do, no direction whatsoever. In fact, he ended up spending the entire day working on his latest analysis.

Minutes before Izuku and the Chief were meant to leave, the station phone rang. Hanazawa made no effort to pick it up, and Urushihara just waved a hand. "It'll be my wife. Just tell her we're about to leave."

Hesitantly, Izuku picked up the phone, fairly certain that it should be an actually police officer taking the call. "Hello, this is-"

"Police, right?" a frantic voice asked. "This is pro-hero Mandalay of the Wild Wild Pussycats. There's been an accident, my nephew fell from a tall wall. He passed out from either shock or pain, and I don't dare move him. Ambulances won't come out this far and we're supervising a class of hero students, so we can't just leave!"

Izuku could clearly hear the panic in her voice, so he interrupted. "I understand. We'll be out shortly, we have a licensed field medic on hand. Just give me your location."

Urushihara and Hanazawa stared at him as he got what information he could and hung up. "Kid, I know you're used to those big fancy city stations, but we don't have any field medics here. Now call them back and tell them to call a first responder or something."

"Oh, they don't have any at Tsukauchi's station either, but I just passed the test. I was trained by Recovery Girl herself. Now let's go."

The chief was the one who ended up driving Izuku. He seemed irritated, of all things, as well as pretty hesitant. Izuku was fairly sure he heard the chief mutter a few times about cleaning up heroes' messes.

Luckily the training camp was only a few miles away - Izuku was quickly finding himself more and more irritated at the Chief's attitude. After all of this he would definitely talk to Tsuragamae about this particular station.

The training camp was deep in the forest, and the road was winding and steep. Izuku's excitement at meeting the Wild Wild Pussycats was tempered by possible injuries the child could have sustained - the phone call was not long enough to give Izuku many details about the kid's well being.

Pixie Bob waited for them, ushering them forward so aggressively that Izuku almost didn't have time to grab his replacement med pack. They were led inside where a little boy was splayed out on a couch. He was unconscious while Mandalay hovered around, unsure of what to do.

"We have a place to bathe here, and there was a wall separating the boys from the girls. We heard that one of the boys could be inappropriate, so we stationed Kouta at the top of the wall to stop any mischief," Mandalay explained frantically. "We only know he fell, the few students that have come to explain what happened all told slightly different stories."

Izuku took his time examining the boy, checking vitals, observing everything he could while everyone in the room watched with bated breath. Pixie Bob was doing her best to console Mandalay while they waited for the verdict.

"Your nephew is very lucky," Izuku finally said. "It seems that he's only unconscious due to shock, probably the shock of falling. It looks like someone caught him just before he hit the ground. You can see the bruise from their hand here, and it looks like the force of it all dislocated his shoulder. Aside from that he may have whiplash, or a minor concussion, but I'd need to observe him a little longer to be sure."

"Oh, can you? We have a spare room for you if you would stay here," Mandalay said.

"Yeah, and we're hosting nineteen hero students right now," Pixie Bob added. "One of them is bound to get injured during this training."

Chief Urushihara looked annoyed. "Aren't you four rescue heroes? Shouldn't you know basic First Aid?"

Izuku, meanwhile, was already on the phone with Tsuragamae. "Hi Chief, it's me. Yeah, there's a training camp out here for hero students and they need a medic. No, not a thing, I doubt that's even going to happen. Okay, I'll look forward to that too. Thanks!"

Once more all eyes were trained on him as he hung up the phone, slipping it once more in his pocket. "Chief Tsuragamae says I can stay, so I'll need my bags out of your car, Chief Urushihara. Send my regrets to your wife."

It annoyed Urushihara that in those two sentences Midoriya had been able to casually muster more authority than he had in the entirety of his life. The brat didn't even deign to look at him again as he firmly grasped Kouta's upper arm, guiding the bone back into the correct place. Izuku felt bad about causing the boy even more pain, but it didn't wake the boy up, so he told himself it was better this way.

Mandalay couldn't stop thanking him, explaining, "We should have stationed one of us up there instead. When no one could agree on what happened, I panicked, especially when he didn't wake up. He hasn't even really been able to enjoy his life yet, find his place in this world."

"I take it his life hasn't been the easiest," Izuku said, gazing sadly at the small boy.

"He's already lost everything once," Mandalay said softly. "His parents were heroes, and they died on the same job. Kouta was too young to understand, and since then he's hated heroes. He tolerates us, but he doesn't really have anyone to be close to."

A question was at the tip of Izuku's lips when the door opened to Aizawa dragging the kid with the weird purple hair. "Mineta is here to explain exactly what went on."

The student looked like he had seen the face of death, and Izuku was finding it hard to feel any sympathy for him. When Aizawa shoved the boy towards Mandalay, his eyes landed on him.

He sighed, a bone-weary sound. "Just what are you doing here, Problem Child?"

"I'm your school nurse for the time being," Izuku deadpanned before the implications of Aizawa's presence sank in. "It's your class here for training? Your… co-workers didn't happen to come as well, did they?"

Panic gripped Izuku - he couldn't see All Might, he might actually break down if he did. Oh please, he couldn't have this dream destroyed too-

"Just me and then tomorrow Vlad King will get here," Aizawa said, interrupting Izuku's catastrophizing. "I told Nezu we would likely need a medical professional, but this isn't exactly what I had in mind."

"Oh, Nezu didn't send me," Izuku said, doing his best to disguise how shaky his voice was. "I'm actually temporarily assigned to the nearest police station. I was the one that answered Mandalay's call."

"Of course you were. And why are you here without an officer?"

"He kind of left me here? Really, Chief Urushihara isn't the most attentive. I'm going to have words with Tsuragamae, that station is-"

"Save it for later," Aizawa said. "While you're here just don't do anything that could potentially kill you."

"I'm here as medical help. How am I supposed to do my job if I need medical help?" Izuku huffed.

"My point exactly, Remember that, Problem Child," Aizawa said, beginning to stride away.

"Wait! Are you going to introduce me to your class?" Izuku asked, thinking of one particular student.

"Along with Class 1-B, we'll need to explain your presence. But I'll do it at breakfast tomorrow, some of my students are already in bed."

"Can… I've been meaning to ask you about this for a while. Can you tell them I'm just some field medic? And everyone else? I know you're an underground hero, and since the whole Stain thing I've been getting some notoriety. It's not common, but some people recognize me on the street and I wouldn't want you to get a reputation as the guy who helped train the quirkless kid. Don't think I'm not grateful, I am! I just don't want your-"

"Midoriya, breathe. If it's what you want, as far as anyone knows, this is the second time we've met," Aizawa said. "Now shoo, go find someone to play with while the Pussycats get a room ready for you."

Izuku nodded, slipping out of the door unaware of the teacher's fond expression as he left. Outside of the house were areas that were clearly training grounds and an outdoor kitchen. Only a handful of students milled around, too exhausted to do much other than sit and talk.

"I wonder how that kid is doing," said the boy Izuku remembered as Kirishima. "It was a pretty long way to fall. We're lucky that Shoji was manly enough to catch him."

"There was a police car here earlier," someone else said. "So _something_ must have been done."

"Maybe Mineta got arrested."

Someone snorted. "The police wouldn't do anything that useful. Honestly, at this point we should just do away with the police, they're just a waste of public funds."

Izuku decided he didn't like whoever that was. But his heart warmed when Ojiro said, "The police force does more than you know. They deserve our respect just as much as heroes do."

Staring at the group of students, he found himself biting his lip, hesitating to join the group of students. Doubts and fears breathed down his neck until a voice exclaimed, "Midoriya, how are you here?"

"Hagakure, you must be practicing stealth! I didn't sense you at all!" Izuku said, placing a hand over his racing heart. "I'm here for medical support."

"Awesome! Hey look everyone, it's Midoriya!" she gushed, hauling him forward.

"What?" Uraraka screeched, lurching to her feet.

"Hey man, what are you doing here?" Ojiro asked.

"I'm essentially the camp nurse," Izuku said with a weak laugh.

"Oh man, I wish Bakugou hadn't already gone to bed, he hasn't met you yet!" Kirishima said brightly. "It's so manly how you help everyone Mid-"

"Are you nerds talking about me?" a voice growled as a figure emerged from the shadows. "I told you all before, don't-"

Bakugou broke off, face contorting in wordless fury when his red eyes came to rest on Izuku. He, on the other hand, felt his blood freeze in his veins, every fiber of his being screaming for him to leave. Instead, in direct opposition to Aizawa's request to stay away from things that might kill him, Izuku raised a hand. "Hi Kacchan."

"DEKUUUUU!"


	17. Chapter 17

Izuku felt his life flash before his eyes as Bakugou Katsuki rushed him, murder in those familiar crimson eyes as every explitive known to man poured from his mouth. This was it, this was how Izuku was going to die.

His entire life had trained Izuku to fear this moment, to submit in hopes of coming out of this encounter alive. But he had never been good at listening to his common sense. Even though he was faced with the culmination of all of Kacchan's anger, Izuku found himself oddly calm. He knew Kacchan, and his fighting style. Izuku noticed immediately when he started pulling back his right arm before Kacchan was even anywhere near his target. He had a killer right hook, but only if it connected.

With a move he'd practiced again and again with Ojiro, milliseconds before Kacchan's fist connected, Izuku sidestepped and latched onto his arm, fingers digging in before judo-flipping him over his shoulder.

There was the smallest audible grunt when Kacchan's back hit the ground. It was this noise that brought Izuku to reality, confronting Izuku with the fact that Bakugou Katsuki was most definitely going to kill him now. His mind had shut down his emotions and his body had simply reacted, thanks to Valiant's merciless drilling.

Izuku scrambled away as Kacchan lunged to his feet, practically feeling the other boy breathing down his neck. His heart pounded in his chest - he didn't dare look back, he already knew that Kacchan loomed. A strangled cry forced its way out of him when he felt a hand grip the collar of his shirt, pulling back harshly.

He raised his arms to shield the back of his head, hoping to at least lessen the injuries from the coming explosion. Izuku struggled to get away still, knowing how futile it was. U.A. would have just made Kacchan that more amazing, which meant-

Then the pull on his shirt was gone with a resounding _smack!_ and Izuku collapsed to the ground, coughing from the sudden release of pressure on his windpipe. When he struggled to his feet, Izuku turned to find Ojiro standing between them, his normal smile strangely absent. There was a dangerous edge to his normally calm temperament, and Bakugou had stumbled back a few steps, wheezing.

"I don't know why you would attack Midoriya, but I would leave him alone," Ojiro said in a measured voice.

"I'll kill you if you ever attack me from behind like that again, Tail. Get out of the way, this is between me and Deku," Bakugou growled, his eyes never leaving Izuku. "What do you think you're doing here, you useless nerd? Think you're better than me? HUH?"

Izuku couldn't help but notice how dazed Bakugou seemed, his red eyes hazy with pain. Against his better judgement, he pushed past Ojiro. "Are you okay, Kacchan? It seems like you've been training really hard, and those hits wouldn't be very good for you. I can go get my medical pack if-"

"SHUT UP! I DON'T NEED YOU OR YOUR STUPID HELP!"

The forest itself seemed silent as Bakugou grasped the front of Izuku's shirt in both hands, the taller boy breathing heavily. When he spoke again, it was a low, deadly growl.

"You think you're so much better than me, Deku, just like you always have. Well YOU'RE NOT! I don't care that you just disappeared, or that you took down Stain. You may have found some people that pity you enough to make you think you're good at something, but don't fool yourself. You're still the same useless, quirkless kid I grew up with. You're still _Deku._ "

Izuku's heart dropped as Kacchan's hands began to smoke. He was well and truly frozen by fear now, trained by years of pain and torment, and those words.

Useless. Quirkless.

 _Deku._

He visibly sank into himself - things really hadn't changed, just like Kacchan said. Without realizing, Izuku lowered his eyes and began muttering. "I don't think I'm better than you, Kacchan. I've always known I've never been-"

A flurry of footsteps interrupted Izuku and a fist blocked his sight for a moment before the tension and heat from Kacchan were gone, followed by a loud thud. He was almost afraid to look, but he found Kacchan splayed out on the ground while Uraraka stood over him, breathing heavily with her hand still clenched in a fist.

"I don't know why he was acting that way," she said quietly, but with intensity, "but there's no good reason to be mean like that."

He could only stare at the vision of beauty before him, slightly open-mouthed. He stammered out what he hoped was an acceptable response when Aizawa appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He glanced at the unconscious Bakugou impassively. "I don't want to know. Go to bed, tomorrow the real work begins."

There were a chorus of groans before the students bid Izuku goodnight. They departed, Kirishima with the unconscious Bakugou in tow. As he watched Uraraka leave, Izuku felt his heart beat erratically in his chest. Uraraka was here. After the mall fiasco, he didn't ever think he would have the chance to see her, or even the courage to text her again.

But she had saved him! With that in mind, for all he knew Izuku floated back to his room. While he was here he might be able to talk to her briefly. He could ask her to lunch after the training camp, or even the movies. After a few dates they might even _hold hands._

The thought was too much - Izuku felt himself blushing at this own forwardness. After checking on Kouta one last time, Izuku had some trouble falling asleep that night, his mind racing far too much.

He woke up early the next morning, collecting his medical pack to go check on the boy again. Mandalay waited for him, explaining that the students would be finished with making breakfast soon, and Eraserhead had requested he join them.

Kouta was already awake, glaring at him the moment he entered the room. "Who are you, a dumb hero student with a dumb healing quirk?"

"No, I'm a field medic, actually. Can you sit up, Kouta? I want to make sure you don't have a concussion."

Thankfully Kouta complied with Izuku's requests, begrudgingly following directions. Mandalay was relieved to hear that the boy was fine, and she accompanied him to the dining area. There was already a clamor, the students busily eating and chatting. He suspected now would be the only part of the day that they would have the energy to do so.

Unfortunately Bakugou was the first person to spot him. His shout of "DEKU!" broke across the group. Everyone fell silent, a few people visibly tensing, readying themselves for whatever may come.

"Good, you know each other. This is Midoriya Izuku, a field medic on loan to us from the nearest police station. Treat him well, he's your only source of pain reliever," Aizawa said flatly.

"That little kitten is going to come sit by me," Pixie Bob asserted, grabbing Izuku by the arm. Kouta trailed behind, all but pushing Tiger out of the way when he almost sat on Izuku's other side.

"So tell me kitten, what's your story? How did you come to be so accomplished at such a young age?" Pixie Bob gushed, sliding just a bit closer to him.

"Yeah, why not become a hero with all your talent?" Ragdoll asked.

"I wanted to when I was younger," Izuku explained. "But I don't have a quirk. I was determined to find a way to be a hero without a quirk, but then the hero I looked up to most told me it was impossible. I had to set my sights on something else."

Tiger looked enraged. "What manner of hero would say such a thing to a child? Tell me now and I'll give him a talking-to!"

Aizawa settled into one of the nearby seats with no food, only a cup of black coffee. "It's no use, the problem child refuses to tell anyone who told him such a thing."

Izuku became acutely aware of Kouta staring up at him, a variety of thoughts clearly cycling through his mind. They finished the remainder of breakfast with some idle chatter, and afterwards Izuku and Kouta went back into the building, both for Izuku to keep observing Kouta, and for them to keep one another company.

Silence prevailed in the heroes' absence until Kouta huffed. "I don't need a babysitter."

"Well it's a good thing that I'm not a babysitter, then. I'm Midoriya Izuku, by the way. I don't know if we got introduced earlier. It's nice to meet you, Kouta."

Kouta was still slightly glaring at Izuku. "You're kind of young to be a field medic, aren't you? Are you some kind of suck-up?"

"Oh no, I just want to be able to help people so I took some medical classes. I'm also the first person to participate in the Provisional Police Academy program," Izuku said with a hint of pride.

The boy snorted, a sharpness coming into his gaze. "It figures, you couldn't be a hero so you decided the next best thing was to be a cop."

"No, not really," Izuku said, determined not to be offended by the boy's brash personality. He had a theory of who his parents were, which would explain a lot. "I mean, maybe at first. But heroes are too deeply tied with the entertainment industry. Yeah, they save people, but they also go to press conferences and compete with hero rankings. Police officers are kind of looked down on, but they are authorized to deal with villains just like heroes are. Plus they do all kinds of important little stuff. Imagine if there was no one enforcing the speed limit, or other driving rules. The streets would be really dangerous. They keep everyone safe in the most basic ways."

As he spoke he couldn't help but think of Kimiko, who had become like a little cousin to him. She and her mother had essentially been adopted by Inko, and the four had dinner together at least once a month. The heroes had given up on her after the first day or so, but the police never did.

"I probably rambled there, but yeah. I don't think being a police officer is any better or worse than being a hero. They serve the same purpose in different ways."

Kouta stared a while longer. "So you don't have a quirk, but you're already trying to be like a police officer?"

"Kind of," Izuku nodded.

"Do you have any cool stories?"

With a smile, Izuku animatedly told whatever stories he could think of, and this continued until nearly lunchtime. He occasionally went out to check on the hero students. He couldn't help most of them, because he had nothing to combat exhaustion, especially quirk exhaustion. He gave Kouda some honey tea for his throat and brought Iida orange juice by the gallon, but that appeared to be the extent of his current usefulness. (Bakugou was struggling with his wrists because of his quirk's recoil. It would have been simple for Izuku to wrap his wrists for him, but he would never ask for help, especially from Izuku.)

Just before lunch, however, the dupli-arms boy brought Izuku a shivering Todoroki. His skin was completely covered by a thin layer of frost, his lips a concerning shade of blue.

"Thanks, I'll take care of him," Izuku said, already bustling. "Just lay him down there."

"Hey, that's my spot," Kouta protested.

"You were just punching that dummy, you're fine," Izuku said. "Hand me that blanket."

Todoroki was well on his way to frostbite at the very least, and hypothermia was only a few snowflakes away. But as with most of the world, quirks changed the treatment. When either of these things were caused by a quirk, particularly by the patient's own quirk, there was a slightly different process to follow. It was a good thing Recovery Girl had drilled it into him.

"I'm fine," Todoroki said, barely managing to keep his jaw from chattering. "You can just leave me alone."

"When you can walk out of here at a normal speed, I'll believe you," Izuku said. "Now just sit still."

It was clear that Todoroki had some natural resistance to the cold, but it should have helped him more than this. One side of his body was distinctly warmer than the other, and that combined with his unusual hair most likely placed him in a rare category of quirks, which meant -

"Your quirk has a second part, doesn't it?" Izuku asked. "Something that counters the cold, probably similar to your father's flames."

If possible, Todoroki's eyes grew even icier. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"I could give you a twenty-page quirk analysis about the probability of there being another component to your quirk, but I don't have a spare hour. I don't know why you're not using it, but I would suggest -"

"No," he said flatly. "I'm going to be a hero without his quirk. I won't give him the satisfaction."

Izuku paused. At the USJ he had seen signs of things being rapidly frozen and then thawed, and Todoroki hadn't been in danger of frostbite back then - something had gotten worse between then and now.

The more that Izuku learned of Endeavor, the less he liked the man. The man was legitimately talented, but he was a nightmare to work with, according to Kondo. He was petty enough to try and defame Izuku, which was absurd. He could only imagine what it might be like to be the man's son.

"It's not his quirk, not really," Izuku said before he could stop himself. Just based on what I can observe, your flames would manifest slightly differently. Although, even if your quirk was a carbon copy of his, it would still be your quirk to use however you decide. You just can't decide to turn into a popsicle whenever a fight drags on for too long. It will cost you lives."

Izuku felt the full weight of Todoroki's heterochromatic eyes resting on him. "You. Don't. Know. Anything."

"You can keep saying that, but I know that if you want to be a hero you probably want to save people. I understand that, but it's not fair to your classmates or the people you'll save one day for you not to give your all."

A spark of rage flared in the usually cool eyes. "You don't know why I won't, why I can't-"

"No, I don't know. But I do know if you're this amazing with half of your power, if your heart is in the right place, with both parts of your quirk you'll be unstoppable. And because life isn't kind, there will be a day where you will _have_ to decide whether or not to use your quirk. On that day, it probably won't be you paying the price for your actions."

When the other boy said nothing, Izuku continued, "I understand you've probably gone through things I can't even fathom, but for everyone's sake, _especially_ yours, I hope you work things out. You should be good to go back to training now."

As Izuku moved to stand up, a hand that was slightly colder than average stopped him, resting on his forearm.

"How…" For the first time, Izuku saw that Todoroki wasn't aloof and mysterious, he was an unsure teenager. "How do you 'work things out?'"

Doing his best to bring out his inner Inko, Iuzku said, "It just depends on what you think you need. For a lot of people, the first step is talking to someone about what's going on."

Todoroki sighed. "Midoriya, have you ever heard of quirk marriages?"

 _Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis_

 _Name: Tsukauchi Naomasa_

 _Age: 36_

 _Height: 180 cm_

 _Occupation: Police Detective_

 _Physical Description: A very average, nondescript man. He is an average height with black hair and black eyes, usually wearing a nondescript suit with a tan overcoat and a tan hat. He claims that his "plainness" only aids him in his work, as he is not particularly remarkable in a crowd._

 _Personality: Seen as earnest, hardworking, and trustworthy by all that are close to him. He can also be overprotective to those who are closest to him*._

 _Quirk: Human Lie Detector - This quirk is always active, Tsukauchi simply knows instinctively whether someone is lying. To a degree he can also tell what the intentions behind a lie are. See further notes for full details._

 _Notes: *see accounts of 1) the Tanaka kidnapping, 2) the USJ incident, 3) the Hosu incident…_

* * *

 **A/N: Hello, lovely readers. It is me, back with another chapter of the fanfiction that should have waited until I finished another chapter of Arson. Well. This is just proof that comments encourage me to write, because last chapter I got such wonderful comments that I couldn't stop myself. You'll also notice I started including an excerpt from Izuku's analysis. I intend to do one for each of the police officers, but naturally I had to start with Dad-tective Tsukauchi. (Yes, Kit disapproves of that pun. She says hi, by the way, also that she thinks I let Bakugou off too easily.) There's an action scene of sorts at the beginning of the chapter, and that's something I still want to improve my writing on, so let me know what you all think. You're always welcome to talk to me on Tumblr at Rogueptoridactyl!**


	18. Chapter 18

"Todoroki, I'm so sorry," Izuku breathed.

The boy's face was nearly emotionless, merely the slightest bit quizzical. "I feel… strange. Sharing my story doesn't fix anything, but somehow I feel lighter."

 _We'll see if something can be fixed_ Izuku thought to himself, ideas already rampaging through his mind. But Todoroki was expecting an answer, so Izuku handed a paper with his phone number to Todoroki and said, "I'm glad you shared. If I can ever do anything to help you, or if you ever need someone to listen to you, you know how to find me."

Todoroki nodded before slowly rising from the couch. "I still don't intend to use the other half of my quirk."

"I figured as much. It takes time, but I hope you know that this won't last forever. Someday, somehow you won't have to worry about Endeavor anymore."

That was the closest that Izuku dared to promise that he would get Todoroki out of the whole situation. He already had a dozen half-baked plans to liberate the boy, and twice that if he was willing to resort to less than legal methods.

Despite that, the haunted look in the boy's eyes felt like a punch to the gut. Todoroki rose, walking to the door. Just before he left, he paused. He didn't meet Izuku's eyes as he said, "I appreciate the sentiment, but this world doesn't have anyone to save us from the heroes."

Izuku could only watch Todoroki leave, his heart breaking a bit more with every step. Kota was fuming as well. "Is that stupid hero going to get away with this?" he demanded.

"Not if I can help it," Izuku said, clenching a fist.

"I knew heroes were dumb," Kota sneered. "But he still wants to be one like an idiot. Besides, he was here forever."

"It was just twenty minutes," Izuku scoffed, flicking the bill of the boy's hat. "Besides, he needed to let his quirk rest."

The boy scoffed, but it didn't have quite the same venom that it had that morning.

Kota and Izuku spent the rest of the day like that, playing however Kota felt. At first it had been hard to believe that Kouta was only five years old, even younger than Kimiko. But it started showing the longer Izuku was there, like when he pouted a bit whenever another student was sent to Izuku. After Monoma from 1-B was sent to him for the third time with heat stroke from his costume, Kota threw a bucket of ice on the teenager.

Overall, throughout the training portion of the day there weren't any disasters. Everyone made it out alive, they just looked dead. Izuku felt a little bad seeing how much they struggled making dinner. (He decided to blame it on their exhaustion. Surely Iida had peeled a potato before.)

He spent a few minutes before the meal doling out painkillers like they were candy on Halloween. Kacchan didn't ask for any, though, and Izuku didn't offer. Uraraka brightened from where she saw him. "Midoriya! Do you want to sit wit-"

Pixie Bob seemingly materialized, slinging an arm around Izuku's shoulders. "It's my favorite kitten! Once the food is done, you're sitting with us. It's too bad you missed out on yesterday's food, let's just hope the students made something palatable."

Regrettably, Izuku didn't get a chance to talk to Uraraka that night. Whenever he thought he saw the chance, Pixie Bob would whisk him away, or Ragdoll would call him over to get his opinion on training for individual students.

Unbeknownst to him, each time this happened, the most entertaining emotions would play over Uraraka's face, emotions that the girl herself wasn't ready to name. Izuku wondered why Pixie Bob and Ragdoll kept snickering to themselves, but after enough thought, he realized he wanted no part in it, whatever it was.

All in all, the night came and went without incident. The next day was much of the same, thought at this point the students looked positively haggard, particularly the ones going through the remedial lessons as well. Monoma barely had the energy to even insult the other class.

Halfway through the day, though, Izuku couldn't help the feeling that something was off. He was restless enough that he couldn't finish his latest analysis, and opted instead to go for a walk with Kota. The boy was happy to show off his secret hideout - apparently Izuku was the first person to ever be allowed to see it. He appreciated the trust that Kota clearly had in him, and the walk did help for a bit.

He couldn't be gone for long, though. He was expected to be available for medical assistance, after all.

So he paced and found small tasks for himself, growing more anxious by the minute. Despite his better judgement, Izuku found himself with his phone pressed to his ear, waiting for the voice he wanted to hear most in the world at that moment.

"Musutafu Police Department, Detective Tsukauchi speaking."

Just the sound of his voice quelled Izuku's anxiety more than anything else had that day. He had to swallow before he felt ready to respond. "Hey Tsukauchi, it's Izuku."

"Midoriya!" The man exclaimed, collapsing into his chair. "How are you? Is your training going well? You're probably a crack shot with a pistol already."

"Oh, Tsuragamae didn't tell you? He's probably been busy. I'm not at the police station, they kind of loaned me out to a summer camp for hero students."

"They WHAT?!" Tsukauchi demanded. In the background a slight mumbling could be heard, and Tsukauchi said, "Just go sit down, Toshinori. This is an important phone call."

"You can hang up if you're busy," Izuku said, guilt immediately replacing some of his anxiety. "I don't really-"

"Don't worry about it, Midoriya. It's just my old friend Yagi Toshinori. We were just about to go to dinner. He's got the day off, so he can afford to wait for me. Now why exactly aren't you at the police station?"

Still feeling guilty, Izuku shortened (and downplayed) the story as much as possible, but Tsukauchi was having none of it. He dragged each and every detail out of Izuku.

"That station is a disgrace to Japan's police force," Tsukauchi said when Izuku was finished. "Rest assured that Tsuragamae and I will be paying them a visit very soon. But it sounds like you're safe, happy, and gaining experience on top of that. If anyone can make a good thing out of a situation like this, it's you, Midoriya."

Unexpectedly (who was he kidding?) Izuku found himself fighting back tears. "Thanks, Detective. I needed to hear that."

"You sound a little nervous, but I meant what I said. If anything does happen, just trust your instincts as long as they're not telling you to stab yourself with a sword." Tsukauchi chuckled at Izuku's groan. "And don't be afraid to have fun."

"I won't. Thanks, Tsukauchi."

"Anytime, Midoriya."

Just before Tsukauchi hung up, Saito was clearly audible from the other room. "Wait, you're talking to Little Midoriya? Tell him to-"

Izuku pondered what her message could have been, but to this day it remains one of life's great mysteries.

Dinner rolled around once more, and the food got even worse, somehow. In some cases it seemed that Class 1-B was determined to get in 1-A's way, which led to some truly tragic treatment of the food.

Class 1-B was an interesting study for Izuku. His personal experiences with people his own age were horribly skewed, and Class 1-A were the only other hero students he had ever met. They were the same age, and in theory on the same level as Class 1-A, but markedly different. In some cases there was a clear feeling of inferiority, though there was no need to name names. They had much of the same ambition and drive as the other class, but many of them lacked the same confidence and experience. Class 1-B was closer than any of the classes Izuku had ever been a part of himself, but Class 1-A was quickly becoming a family.

He observed the classes and their reactions when it was announced that there would be a test of courage. However, the excitement and instant plotting of how to apply their quirks instantly soured Kota's mood. The kid had been doing well that day, but it was clear that thirty-nine hero students talking excitedly about using their quirks was too much for the boy. He stood up abruptly, storming away.

"I'm going to go talk with him," Izuku whispered to Mandalay, slipping away.

As he expected, Kota was sulking in his hideout. Izuku cleared his throat more to announce his presence before collapsing on the ground next to the boy. "I know the food isn't great, but you still need to eat. You're going to be really hungry if you leave every meal like that."

The boy hesitated before turning his eyes to Izuku, anger still blazing in them. "Why did you ever want to be one of those idiots? They think they're so great with their quirks, but they're just going to get themselves killed one day."

Izuku contemplated a moment. "Kota, your parents were the Water Hose duo, weren't they? No, Mandalay didn't tell me," he said, cutting the boy off. "I'm sure you loved them, and they loved you more than anything."

"If they loved me so much why did they leave? It's dumb. All of it is dumb." Kota said viciously.

"They were heroes because they wanted to stop other people from being separated from their families just like you were," Izuku said, blinking back tears. "And it's not fair that this was how they were repaid. It's okay to be angry, Kota, but one day you have to let something else in."

"What do you know, you just wish you had a quirk," Kota spat, almost feral.

"I used to, yeah," Izuku admitted. "I still think they're cool, but I wanted to use it to save people. I just found different ways to do that based on my own abilities. One day you'll understand why heroes do what they do. I know it."

"Really?" Kota asked, torn between emotions.

"Don't hold your breath kid," a gruff, unfamiliar voice interjected. "I still don't understand why heroes do anything they do."

Izuku froze at the sight of the hulking figure approaching. All of his apprehension form earlier in the day flared up right then. He stepped in front of Kota, one hand coming to rest on the Save My Fanny Pack.

"This is private property. Can I help you? Offer directions, perhaps?" Izuku said, proud that his voice didn't waver.

The man scrutinized Izuku for a few moments before pulling off his mask. "I'm new, so I get the second-rate equipment. You weren't on the list, so I won't kill you or the kid unless you get in my way. Deal?"

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave the property," Izuku said, inching the fanny pack's zipper open. The man's face was familiar, with blond hair and an eye that was clearly prosthetic, though Izuku couldn't quite place-

"Muscular," Kota breathed from behind him. "That's who you are, isn't it!"

Izuku froze as the man laughed. "Oh, so you've heard of me. So convince your brother to pretend he never saw me so you both can make it out alive."

"I don't have a brother," Kota hissed, dodging around Izuku. "And I don't have parents now because of you!"

"Oh? This must be fate then. I can send you to be with your dear old Mom and Dad," Muscular said, flexing an absurdly large arm. "Either that or you walk away and pretend this never happened. Your choice, kid."

"I have a question first," Izuku interrupted desperately. "Please."

Muscular turned to meet eyes with Izuku and leaned down the slightest bit, clearly entertained. "And what is that?"

"Your prosthetic eye, is it as sensitive as your original one?"

"What?" Muscular demanded, clearly thrown off by the question. He was so baffled that he leaned down further towards Izuku. "Why would you-"

The man cut off in a roar of pain when Izuku emptied the canister of pepper spray directly into Muscular's face, his finger pressing down so hard it broke the trigger. Blinded, Muscular reeled backwards, wildly swinging his fists.

Izuku hooked one arm around Kota, hoisting the boy into his arms and sprinting as quickly and quietly as was physically possible through the forest.

"What did you just do? He's going to catch us?" Kota hissed.

"His eyes are one of his only weak spots," Izuku said as quietly as possible while leaping over a fallen log. "Your parents figured that out. I just used pepper spray. He won't be able to see clearly at least long enough for us to get reinforcements."

In the distance Muscular could be heard crashing through the trees, but it was the sound of Mandalay's voice in his mind was what almost made him trip. When the message finished, Kota's grip on Izuku tightened.

"What does this all mean?" he asked, scared.

"It means that Muscular wasn't alone, and we need to be careful," Izuku said. "It also means that I'm going to be giving my all to protect you."

* * *

Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis

Name: Saito Kirimi

Age: 28

Height:190 cm (6'3")

Occupation: Police Officer

Physical Description: An obscenely tall, thin woman with a loud laugh, long magenta hair and golden eyes. She is most frequently seen in her police uniform, though her casual clothes generally consist of jeans and t-shirts with a bright red leather jacket that clashes with her hair. (She reportedly wears the jacket BECAUSE she has had people tell her she shouldn't.)

Personality: Fun-loving and quick-witted; I didn't know the full implications of the word "spitfire" until I met Saito. However, she is also incredibly loyal and protective - stay on her good side at all costs.

Quirk: Enhanced Senses - This quirk, like Tsukauchi's, is always active. It's nothing that Saito can control, she merely has the ability to see, hear, smell, taste, and touch things beyond the normal human's capacity. She can sense more with the presence of intense emotions, but the full scope of her quirk is hitherto untested.

Notes: For the readers own safety, know to 1) never stand between Saito and Detective Kimura, either you will be caught in the middle of a prank war that could be deadly, or become the subject of the prank. 2) Never assume that anything you say or do is unnoticed. Saito sees all. Saito knows all.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you all for your patience and your encouragement! I wanted to have this chapter out on the Fourth of July because it was Inko's birthday, but I had some family come into town about a week ago, and I've been chasing children around practically the whole time. On another note, it was also Captain Celebrity's birthday, which is fitting. I just started reading the Vigilantes manga, and I now feel morally obligated to include a few of those characters in Detective Midoriya. I've had requests for it, so let me know what you all think about that idea! Also let me know how I did on this chapter, I've re-written it a few times, and I'm still deciding how I feel. Come talk to me on Tumblr at rogueptoridactyl!**


	19. Chapter 19

All was not good in the woods. The longer Izuku ran, the more evident it became that they were in trouble. In the distance Izuku saw smoke rising above the trees with the faint sounds of battle. Kota was squirming slightly in Izuku's arms, but Izuku didn't dare pause to readjust, or move the boy to his back.

He ran faster than he ever had before, grateful for all of the times he'd pushed himself beyond his limits. A part of his mind was telling him that his efforts were going to be futile without a quirk, and that part of his mind sounded suspiciously like All Might. But the weight of Kota in his arms was grounding, giving him both the motivation to go on and validation of his efforts.

It wasn't't long before Izuku spotted a figure in the distance, a mercifully, beautifully familiar figure. Impossibly, Izuku's feet sped up. "Mr. Aizawa! You're okay!"

"Midoriya? What happened, are _you_ hurt?" the teacher demanded.

"I'm fine, the villain Muscular is somewhere out there, though. I had some pepper spray, so we got away in one piece. Now if you'll take Kota, I'll-"

"Hold up, Midoriya, you're not going anywhere. You're my responsibility, and I'm ordering you into the house to tend to any injuries."

"Technically I'm here under the authority of the legal police station, and as a trainee and a field medic I can act as I see fit. Legally you can't stop me, and I also can't be accused of vigilantism. I hate to pull that card, but I promise I'll do my best to stay safe," Izuku said, turning away.

"Wait," Aizawa said, looking like he already regretted his next words. "I clearly can't stop you, so give Mandalay a message from me. Tell her to tell the students I authorize them to fight, otherwise they might not make it out alive. I'll deal with the repercussions."

"Are you sure?" Izuku asked, gently setting Kota next to the man.

"As much as I hate it, yes, I'm sure. Be safe, Midoriya."

Izuku saluted the teacher before jogging towards where he thought Mandalay was likely to be. Luckily earlier in the day Kota had shown him the path that the test of courage was supposed to take. With a vague idea of where he would find people, Izuku stood a better chance at actually being useful.

He came to find himself in a clearing filled with the sounds of fighting. No one had noticed him, so he took a moment to observe. He immediately recognized Magne, a notorious villain that had managed to elude Detective Tsukauchi for some months now, along with roughly half of Japan's police force. Tiger was busy with Magne while Mandalay was holding her own against a reptilian villain with the most absurd sword he had ever seen. However, Izuku was most concerned by Pixie Bob, who lay unconscious in a pool of her own blood.

She didn't look good at all. Almost against his will, Izuku found his feet moving towards the fallen hero as quietly as possible. He was cursing himself for not bringing his medical pack with him, and his movements were heavy with the knowledge that literally every important adult figure in his life would want him away from this entire situation.

If he got another sword to the thigh Tsukauchi would never let it go. He would be forced to live in a protective bubble.

He had just gotten to Pixie Bob's side to assess her wounds when he was thrown wildly off balance, lurching towards Magne.

"Oh look, a little mouse has found its way here. I don't recognize this one, though, you weren't' on the list. I guess that makes it okay to crush it."

Izuku did his best to shield his head from the incoming impact with the giant magnet, but in a flash of green, the reptilian villain stepped in, hefting his conglomeration of blades so it was drawn tot he magnet instead of Izuku.

Magne had no choice but to throw himself away from the magnet and the blades as some of them broke free. His hold on Izuku promptly vanished, and Magne was dumbfounded by the intervention.

"What gives, Spinner? You could have really hurt me!"

"I'm sorry Big Sis Mag, but you almost made a huge mistake. This is Midoriya Izuku, the child who was acknowledged both by Stain and Shigaraki. I can't let you harm someone that Stain has declared a true hero. We should change our focus to capturing this boy."

Izuku felt his blood freeze in his veins as Magne surveyed him. "This is that kid? He's scrawnier than I expected. But what's he doing here?"

His hand inched towards his fanny pack, but there was no need. Magne and Spinner had both discarded their weapons, and the brief distraction had been plenty of time for Tiger and Mandalay to descend in a flurry of violence.

In the meantime, Izuku rushed to Pixie Bob. He did the best he could to stabilize her, primarily using his shirt as bandages. As he worked, he called, "I have a message from Eraserhead. Tell the students from Class A and Class B that they have his permission to fight."

"Are you sure that's what he said? That's pretty drastic," Mandalay asked, worried.

"It's what he told me to tell you. By the way, Kota is safe with him," Izuku said as he finished, picking himself up to charge down the path before they could stop him.

He ignored the calls of the pussycats behind him. With a shaking hand, he retrieved his cell phone. The dial tone sounded harsh and too loud in his ear.

"Musutafu Police Station, this is Officer Saito speaking."

Izuku bit back a strangled laugh. Of course Saito was there when the world was falling apart. "Hey, it's Izuku."

"Little Midoriya? How are you? Why are you calling so late? You sound out of breath, are-"

"I don't have much time," Izuku interrupted. "Villains just infiltrated the camp I'm staying at and I don't know what's going to happen. Trace the location of my phone and send all the reinforcements you can."

"Do you have any heroes you want there?" Saito asked tersely.

"Not Endeavor. People who work well in forested areas. Saito, I need to go, just…" Izuku had to force the last words out. "If I don't make it, tell everyone thank you. And tell my mom I love her."

"Little Midoriya, whatever you're thinking about, don't you _dare_ -"

"I'm sorry Saito," he whispered before hanging up.

He found himself running faster if only to blame his watering eyes on the wind whipping his face. Every tree branch that brushed him felt like a grasping hand, every dark silhouette a waiting foe. That was why when he tripped over something, he didn't immediately realize it was a _severed arm._

That section of the forest was eerily silent, and Izuku tried his best to tred carefully, making as little sound as possible. He nearly screamed when he saw the looming figure approach him, but he was relieved to see it was merely Shoji, the dupli-arms hero student.

"I saw your arm, are you okay?" Izuku whispered.

"I'm fine, but Dark Shadow is on a rampage," he whispered back.

"Dark Shadow is weak to light, right? Who was in front of you two in the test of courage?"

"Todoroki and Bakugou."

"I was hoping for Aoyama, but those two work too. I know you don't really know me, but will you trust me Shoji?"

Years later, Shoji Mezo would still wonder what made him trust Midoriya Izuku, a boy he hardly knew. It was a plan where death was not merely a possibility, but a probability, a plan that rolled out the welcome mat for the grim reaper.

But Shoji always recalled the feeling that drove him to agreeing, and he knew he would never have chosen had a chance, however brief, to not only save a friend but to bring Tokoyami back to himself. He had that chance because of Midoriya, and he would never give that up.

It worked out more neatly than even Midoriya could have planned, with Dark Shadow easily taking care of the villain Bakugou and Todoroki had been fighting, and then Bakugou was able to keep Dark Shadow in check.

With everything in order, Bakugou rounded on Izuku with anger burning in his eyes. "Do everyone a favor and get out of the way, Deku. I'm not explaining to Auntie that you died because you put your useless, quirkless butt where it didn't belong."

"You're wasting time, Kacchan. I promise if I die Mom won't blame you. We need to fid as many students as possible. If they're seriously injured, I'm currently their best chance at not dying."

Izuku didn't wait for him any longer, forging forward on the path. When he heard a scream he started running, tailed by his entourage of U.A. students. His hand grasped the first thing he touched in the fanny pack as he burst into the clearing.

Asui was pinned to a tree by her hair, and her facial expression put Izuku on high alert. But at the sight of Uraraka pinned under a blonde who had clearly lost touch with reality, his mind went blank and his vision turned red. He rushed forward with a shout of rage, brandishing the knife from his fanny pack.

Toga Himiko took a single look at the boy soaked in (someone else's) blood, brandishing a knife and she was smitten. It wasn't as easy as she expected to avoid the swing of his blade, but interest sparkled in her eyes.

"More friends," she said, delightedly clapping her hands. "But do I look okay? There's a cute boy here."

"We don't have time for this," Izuku said, slightly calmer as he unconsciously moved in front of Uraraka. "I need to make sure none of the students get too hurt."

The maniacal girl's golden eyes fixated on him, her grin impossibly growing. "You're the boy who took down Stain, aren't you Izuku?"

She darted forward, swinging her blade in a wide arc, but Izuku caught it with his own knife, sparks raining down. "Todoroki."

Thankfully the boy intuitively understood Izuku's intentions, freezing the girl in place. "There's no telling how long this will last. I didn't want you to give her hypothermia."

"That just means we can't stay too long," Izuku said. "But first, are you two okay, Uraraka? Asui?"

"It was just a little scratch, _ribbit._ "

"I'm f-fine."

"Good, let's go," Izuku said. Uraraka couldn't help the blush that crawled across her cheeks. She'd seen several sides to Midoriya, but he'd never been so… authoritative before. He just kept getting more impressive.

Ochako shook herself, slapping her cheeks. Now was not the time to get… impressed by Midoriya. They forged on ahead, eyes and ears searching for any signs of other students. These villains were capable, and they clearly had no qualms or orders against harming literal children.

It stood to reason that they had a goal for all of this, likely capturing a specific student. Izuku had suspicions about which student they were here for, and who had sent them. After all, to get into camp undetected they would have had to use a teleportation or warp quirk. Those were rare, especially ones that were powerful enough to allow as many people as their group had.

"Let's split up," Izuku decided after they walked a bit longer. "Go in pairs and search for injured students. I'll go back to camp and wait with my med pack."

"Are you sure Midoriya?" Uraraka asked. "Tsu and I can go with you."

"No, there's a lot of ground to cover. You can be the difference between your classmates living and dying. Round up as many people as possible and take them there."

It would distract them from his actions, yes, but it was a legitimate plan. Emergency responders were bound to arrive at any minute - Saito likely got every ambulance, hero, and police unit within an hour's drive headed their way. Herding the students to a safe place was the best course of action.

"Go, people might be dying out there!" Izuku snapped. He watched the students depart in pairs, but Uraraka lingered just a few moments longer than the others, her brown eyes resting on his face.

"Be careful Midoriya. I… You still owe me a smoothie."

Despite himself, Izuku felt a smile spread across his face. "I've kept you waiting long enough that I probably owe you lunch too."

And then the students were gone, and Izuku turned, setting his course away from the camp, likely where the villains were meeting up. He didn't have to walk long before he heard voices filtering through the trees.

"Where's Muscular?"

"Probably still crashing through the trees. He got bested by a brat with pepper spray."

"And Moonfish? Mustard?"

"Who cares? Let's just leave them."

"But we don't have that Bakugou kid! We can't go back to Shigaraki empty-handed."

 _So I was right on both accounts._

"Never fear," came a voice from the trees. "I just found him and the ice user wandering around. It's time to bring this act to a close."

It was a man in a top hat and a trench coat brandishing a pair of marbles, presumably containing Kacchan and Todoroki. He wished he had time for a last phone call, but this was why he had left messages with Saito.

Neither his legs nor his voice shook as he strolled into the clearing. "I have a proposal for you all instead."

"And what's a small fry like you doing here?" A man in a black and white suit demanded - Twice. In a deeper voice he declared, " _You had best walk away._ "

A dark-haired man with patchwork scars observed Izuku. "I recognize you. You're the quirkless brat that took down Stain. Don't tell me you're trying to protect these so-called heroes."

"And you're trying to what? Abduct some of these students?" Izuku said, some feral beast arising from the depths of his soul.

"Can we bring him too?" Toga asked, arriving in her still frosty clothes. "He's just my type."

"You want Ka- Bakugou because Shigaraki commanded it, right? Well he didn't know I would be here, and I'm a much more valuable captive," Izuku said.

"What's to stop us from just taking you?" the dark-haired one asked.

"I took down Stain and Muscular," Izuku said with false bravado. "There's no way that's a fluke. I might not be able to take all of you down, but I would be able to reduce your numbers. Severely."

"So what are you suggesting?"

"Let them go, and I'll go with you without a fight. If I struggle at all, you can kill me. If you don't set Bakugou and Todoroki free, though, I will fight until I can't fight anymore, and I get the impression that Shigaraki wouldn't be pleased."

The man's bright eyes were unreadable as he stared Izuku down. It felt like centuries as the two kept tense eye-contact, never blinking.

Then he shrugged. "Fine. We're spending too much time here. Compress, let those two go."

Sighing, Mr. Compress threw the two marbles some distance away, and then Bakugou and Todoroki were back, looking highly disoriented. Todoroki came to a little faster, eyes focusing on Izuku. "Midoriya, what are you doing? You're supposed to be back at the camp!"

Tears stung the back of Izuku's throat. "Tell Mr. Aizawa I'm sorry. He shouldn't blame himself."

"Mido-"

"DEKUUU! WHAT THE HE-"

Bakugou was cut off when he had to leap back from a burst of flame that put Endeavor to shame. There was more to Dabi than it initially seemed, Izuku realized.

"He traded himself for you, brat. It was a waste in my opinion, but the deal is made," Dabi said. "This is goodbye."

A scarred hand wrapped around Izuku's throat and he was guided through the warp gate, getting a last glimpse of Todoroki and Kacchan rushing the group. He shook his head as he sank into the warp gate.

"Stay back. Protect yourselves."

And then the world was dark.

* * *

Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis

Name: Nakamura Kuranosuke

Age: 42

Height:173 cm (5'8")

Occupation: Police Officer; Official Saito Tamer (A.K.A. her partner)

Physical Description: Nakamura looks fairly average in most aspects - average height, average facial features, average in everything except his hair; Nakamura refuses to cut his hair, instead wearing it like the samurai of old. He insists it's a matter of pride, but it's really because his wife bet that he would never let it grow longer than chin-length.

Personality: Nakamura is a serious police officer, fully conscious of the gravity of his job. He takes pride in what he does and attempts to keep the other police officers in line. He is the only person other than Detective Tsukauchi that can halfway talk Saito out of bad ideas. Outwardly he disapproves of her antics, but I suspect he actually enjoys them.

Quirk: Precision - He can hit anything within a reasonable distance with absurd accuracy with any manner of projectile. This quirk doesn't supercede his physical abilities, i.e. he can't hit something out of throwing distance.

Notes: While Nakamura appears to be the perfect candidate to teach me to shoot a gun, he is actually a terrible teacher. His intuitive ability means that aiming comes to him just as easily as breathing. Apparently he was the one to initially train Saito to use a gun, and she was only allowed to use a taser for months afterwards, for the safety of herself and others.

* * *

 **A/N: I wanted to get the next chapter out today because it was Izuku's birthday. As you can see, I gave him a kidnapping.**

 **In all seriousness though, I had initially planned to skim over this story arc. Poor Izuku was going to have nothing to do with all of this. I didn't have the same amount of time to plan this chapter as I have had in the past, but I don't think it's going to get much better than this without a lot of reworking that I don't know if I have in me. I hope you enjoy it anyway!**

 **Edit: I forgot to say, I've been resisting the urge to write a Universe swap for this story. I really want to write what would happen if Canon Izuku and Detective Midoriya somehow swapped places. Thoughts?**


	20. Chapter 20

Naomasa had been in a flurry of motion since Saito had called. She had been tasked with organizing people to send to the training camp, which meant he was free to go check on things himself. The location he was given was an hour's drive, but with his lights and sirens (and some reckless driving), that time was cut in half.

The camp was a mess when he arrived. People were everywhere - students being evaluated and interviewed, while others were being whisked away in ambulances. Naomasa checked every ambulance, every group of people he saw, and even a few trees, but Midoriay wasn't there. Had he been hurt so badly he'd been rushed to the hospital? How was Naomasa going to tell Inko?

His anxiety eased a fraction when he spotted a familiar face in the crowd. "Vlad King, I'm glad you're okay. Do you know where Midoriya is?"

The hero looked hesitant. "Midoriya, the EMT kid? The quirkless one?"

An unexpected flare of irritation flashed through Naomasa, but he pushed it down. "He's a field medic, actually. Where is he? Was he in one of the ambulances that already left?"

"Midoriya… Midoriya is-"

"Midoriya is the only reason all of our students are safe," Eraserhead interjected, looking dead on his feet even as he approached them. "From what we can gather, the problem child traded himself off to the League of Villains so they would leave before they really hurt anyone."

Naomasa's blood ran cold. "No. No, it can't be."

"Detective!" a familiar voice called. Mori and Sohma had arrived finally after driving a (slightly) more legal speed. "Is everything okay?"

He felt his jaw clench. "I need statements from everyone that was here, now. Throw my name around, throw Tsuragamae's name around. Do whatever it takes."

"Naomasa," Sohma said quietly, placing a hand on the detective's shoulder, "Is everything okay?"

"The League of Villains has Midoriya," he said, feeling like the words were choking him. "They took Izuku."

Mori snorted. "Midoriya is like a cockroach. We can't get rid of him that easily."

While it was true that Mori had been sent to their particular police station to "refine" him and "make use of his potential," currently Naomasa saw none. He wanted nothing more than to fire the man, or better yet demote him to meter maid duty and litter patrol for the rest of his life.

"I need those statements _now,_ " Naomasa said frigidly. "You can start getting them from the same kids you did at the USJ incident, starting with the kid with the electricity quirk, Mori."

Mori clearly wanted to protest, knowing that Kaminari had likely overused his quirk again. But even he was perceptive enough to know that now was not the time. Sohma slipped away, dragging his younger partner behind him, likely to give Mori the talking to of his life.

Things were spiralling out of control. He felt sick just thinking about Midoriya in the hands of villains, but there was no time for that. Naomasa rested a hand on Aizawa's shoulder. "Your job is to take care of the students. I'll let you know what happens as the plan progresses, but Midoriya is my responsibility now."

The underground hero was unreadable as ever, but Naomasa had a good idea of what he was feeling. Eraserhead nodded slowly. "I need to inform my students of what's happened. So far only Bakugou and Todoroki know. Do you have any objections?"

"Just tell them to keep it quiet, there's no need for this to go public. Midoriya is a minor, and if he wants to be a detective, publicity like this would do him no favors."

Aizawa nodded, disappearing into the night. Naomasa sighed, calling Saito yet again.

"Detective? How is Little Midoriya? Did he get stabbed again?" she asked immediately.

"The villains kidnapped him," Naomasa said tersely. "I need you to try and track his cell phone. I doubt these villains would be stupid enough not to check for one, but-"

"Wait!" she screeched. "Just a minute-"

What followed was the sound of hurried footsteps and what Naomasa would have thought someone ransacking a house would have sounded like. Then came a strangled cry of excitement.

He could picture her sprinting to the phone and in a slightly-too-loud voice she said, "I found it! Tsukauchi, I found it!"

"Found what?"

"Kimura and I did it as a joke, mostly to 'conveniently' pop in on Little Midoriya when he was on a date, that is if he ever got up the courage to-"

"Saito, what is it?" the detective demanded.

"We put a tracking device in the Don't Rape Me Kit! They probably took it from Little Midoriya, but I doubt they would have taken it to a different location."

"Saito, I have never been so happy for your utter disregard for personal boundaries. We;re going to get all the information we can here, and in the meantime to start gathering information about where he is, what's happening in that area, anything you can find. Then call in as many units and heroes as you can. We'll finish as soon as possible over here, and then we'll head back to make a strategy and move out."

"Come back soon, Detective. Do you.. Do you want me to call Mrs. Midoriya?"

Naomasa closed his eyes. "Thank you Saito, but I think we both know it needs to be me. Get that location and call as many pro heroes up as you can."

His hands shook as he hung up on Saito and dialed the next number. It was even worse as the phone rang and rang until Inko's soft voice answered. "Sorry I missed your call, please leave a message."

When the beep sounded, it seemed to do so with a sense of finality, and it took Naomasa a moment to find his voice. "Mrs. Midoriya, it's Detective Tsukauchi. I… It's about Izuku, call me as soon as you can."

He hung up feeling empty and numb - but he had a job to do. Naomasa hated using his connections for his personal gain, but he would sell his soul if that was what it took to retrieve Midoriya safely.

At first he doubted his call would be answered, but after what felt like an eternity, the other person picked up. "Sorry I took so long to answer, Naomasa, I was busy making lesson plans, and then-"

"Toshinori, there's a situation," the detective interrupted, voice cracking with emotion.

Across the camp Aizawa's eyes were burning - the fire quirk user in conjunction with his dry eye was wreaking havoc on him, he definitely was not about to cry. He had assembled the members of his class that hadn't been seriously injured, everyone but Jirou, Hagakure, Yaoyorozu and Shoji.

"Mr. Aizawa? Is everyone going to be okay?" Tsuyu asked hesitantly.

"Everyone in Class A and Class B will make a full recovery," the teacher said slowly. "But Midoriya was taken by the League of Villains. There are already plans to retrieve him, but the powers that be have decided that you should all be informed. You aren't allowed to tell anyone outside of the class, this is being kept confidential."

Ochako stared at her teacher, not fully comprehending the words he was saying. Midoriya was gone. The same boy who had just been joking about taking her on a date was stolen, taken from the grasp of heroes.

"You all need to be checked out by health professionals, so once you have given your statement to the police get on an ambulance," Aizawa said before briskly walking away. He couldn't let them see the emotions that were raging within him.

He was stopped by a small hand tugging on his sleeve. "You're one of those heroes, right? You're a good one."

Kota stood there, hands desperately clutching… something. Even though he didn't feel like it was the truth anymore, Aizawa nodded.

"You'll save Midoriya, won't you? I just… I don't want to lose him too."

Oh, that was right. Kota would be the son of the Water Hose Duo, and Midoriya was the first person he had really had any attachment to since that whole fiasco. Shota had known he'd been missing something.

He crouched down, doubtful that he could give the child any comfort at all, but he said, "I promise there are a lot of people doing everything they can to help Midoriya. I won't promise you that he'll be safe, but I will do my very best to make sure he is."

Kota nodded before hesitantly offering up what he had been clutching, a notebook. "I found this. Will you keep it safe for him? He said it was important."

Aizawa nodded, and when he accepted the notebook, he couldn't help the slightest bit of curiosity that made him open the book. A pencil had been left between the most recent pages Midoriya had worked on, and Aizawa was confronted with a sketch of him, with a mess of scribbles around it.

He snapped the notebook closed as soon as he realized what it was. This was intimate, no one saw inside his notebooks, not even Tsukauchi or Meiji. If you were lucky Midoriya would read your entry to you, but that was the closest anyone ever got.

But this wouldn't be his last entry. Shota would make sure of that.

At that very moment miles and miles away, one Midoriya Izuku stared down his captors. They milled around as the weight of the chains hung on him. That he barely noticed, instead focusing on the familiar shock of pale blue hair that framed red eyes.

"You're really going to want to let me go," Izuku said for what felt like the fiftieth time that night.

"No, I think this is the perfect opportunity to convince you to join our cause," Shigaraki said gleefully. "I'll help open your eyes to how faulty these heroes are."

"Really, it's best for everyone if you let me go. You don't understand."

"And what don't I understand?" Shigaraki asked, somewhat amused.

"That keeping me is more trouble than it's worth. I'm not going to join you, and there are people that are probably already planning a full-scale attack. I give them twelve hours before they storm the place, possibly less." _Especially if Saito put a tracker in the fanny pack like I assumed,_ Izuku thought.

"If you kill me, they will hunt you down. You may be confident in your abilities, but if I die, they will pick apart your every flaw and weakness until you don't have a leg to stand on."

Izuku was shocked to find that he fully believed every word he spoke. In fact, he was certain that at this very moment Tsukauchi was assembling a squad to retrieve him.

"And you want us to what? Send you on your way?"

"I'll give you eight hours," Izuku said, staring into Shigaraki's eyes.

"Eight hours for what?"

"Eight hours to try to convince me to join you, ask me questions, things like that. IF by the end of the eight hours I'm not convinced, you take everything of value and leave. The police will find an empty bar with me chained up in it. I won't know anything about where you went."

"And why would we take such an offer?" Mr. Compress said before Shigaraki could say anything.

"You've got some momentum going right now," Izuku explained. "People are scared, and doubting the heroes a bit. Right now the public doesn't know you kidnapped me. You haven't gotten any notifications on your phones- don't even ask, it's common sense that you all would have it set to notify you whenever you were mentioned in the news. There are people that will keep this quiet as long as I'm retrieved in the next twenty-four hours. But if you keep me long enough to be found out though, perceptions of the League will be changed. People aren't going to be impressed you took the oby who brought down Stain, they're going to see me as a defenseless, quirkless child and you'll be seen as no better than a school bully."

"If you're so sure about all of this, why aren't you just waiting us out? You could just sit here and wait to be saved," Dabi said lazily.

Izuku slowly met eyes with the League member he'd intentionally been not thinking about, the scarred man. He had eyes like Endeavor's, but instead of burning with anger, they were numb, numb to the pain and suffering still left in the world. When he did speak, he chose his words carefully.

"In a way we are similar, all of us. We've all been hurt or neglected by heroes, we just given different opportunities. Frankly, the hero society needs to be reformed, though I don't agree with your methods." Izuku thought for a heartbeat before he added, "And I believe in second chances."

He was acutely aware of every eye on him until Shigaraki walked over to a screen mounted on the wall. "What should I do, Master?"

A voice that felt _ancient_ to Izuku crackled over the speakers. "It's still your game, Tomura. You can do as you choose, although we've been presented with a unique opportunity. All Might has yet to find a successor, and there's an intriguing case study right before us. If you agree, I think it would be wise to observe the progress of young Midoriya and his devotion to heroes. In the meantime, our Symbol of Peace will weaken by the day."

Izuku's mind was working in overdrive as the League members huddled together, discussing potential means of recruiting him. He hadn't had a clear view of the screen, but the voice was unlike anything he'd ever heard before. Just his voice was embedded with power and depth that Izuku had never even dreamed of existing. Thinking of the actual man was terrifying.

"We already have Ragdoll, so we can shake the faith in heroes that way," Kurogiri intoned. "The Wild Wild Pussycats are popular enough that having one of their quirks taken away will shake the hero society. We could begin a different plan."

He found his mind screeching to a halt. Kacchan hadn't been the only target. Ragdoll didn't have her quirk anymore because of his negligence. How did he not notice?! The more he thought, the more he realized he was in over his head.

* * *

Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis

Name: Sasaki Sakura

Age: 27

Height: 158 cm (5'2")

Occupation: Police Officer, Partners with Officer Kondo

Physical Description: Sasaki is referred to as the darling of the police (out of her hearing range). Due to her short stature and large, violet eyes, she is often mistaken for a teenager, or even a child. She has long blonde hair that is usually kept in a braid, and fluffy lavender wings.

Personality: Sasaki is an innately kind individual, truly one of the most generous people on this earth. However, she does have a scheming side to her, generally when she is around Saito, but she is much less dangerous than Saito in that regard. However, if you insult her height or threaten her loved ones in any way, there will be no way to stop her.

Quirk: Angel; A mutation-type quirk that grants Sasaki her lavender wings. They are surprisingly dexterous, and she can fly, though only for a few meters at a time.

Notes: NEVER call Sasaki short. The recordings of such encounters have since been destroyed for the safety of those involved in the skirmishes.

* * *

 **A/N: This would have been out sooner, but work has been crazy and I went to a family reunion last week, which meant there was an overabundance of screaming children and no time to write. However, I find it significant to note that at said family reunion, I had not one, not two, but three adult cousins get legitimately stuck in a Chinese finger trap. So all you naysayers (I.E. Kit) can deal with it. This is a valid way to incapacitate a person without killing or seriously maiming them, KIT.**

 **But regardless, all of you are lovely. The response to this fanfiction has been bigger than I ever thought possible, and I want to thank each of you for it. I haven't said this in a while, but I write to get feedback so I can improve, but anything you have to say makes my day!**


	21. Chapter 21

Izuku felt the sweat bead on his forehead, intermingling with the blood that was drying on his face. The cuts really did sting, but he had to concentrate - this moment was crucial.

"I need another card."

"You can't just disintegrate the cards you don't like," Magne complained.

"No one said that was a rule," Shigaraki said petulantly. "But I do need another card."

With a sigh Kurogiri handed another card to Shigaraki before feeding Toga another bite of sushi - she had been chained up in Izuku's place after she had rushed him with her knife, "decorating" him with a wound that was still bleeding profusely, despite Kurogiri's best efforts. Izuku was fairly sure it would need stitches, but for now he had to make do with the butterfly bandages they had on hand.

"Remember, if we win this hand you stay with us forever," Toga said, eyes hyper fixated on the blood still framing Izuku's face.

"I never actually agreed to that, but let's see what you've got," Izuku said.

He watched intently as they each laid down their hand before breathing a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness you're all terrible at poker. I've got a royal flush."

"That's no fair!" Twice whined, pointing at Izuku. " _Teach me your ways."_

"How is an upstanding teenager like yourself so familiar with poker?" Mr. Compress asked.

"We play it at the police station on break. You have to get good at it ot you'll be cleaning toilets for weeks. The police officers are ruthless," Izuku explained.

Spinner was clearly thinking deeply. "From what you tell us, it appears that your police officers stand up to Stain's heroic ideals, yet they are scorned by the public. Interesting…"

"Can you turn this way a little bit, Izuku? I can't see the dried blood very well since you moved," Toga asked, a wide grin spread across her face even though she was still chained to the board. "But now that we're lovers, can I give you a nickname?"

"No," everyone else in the room said in perfect sync, and Twice added, "But you can call me whatever you want, babe."

"So since I won, what do I get?" Izuku asked, mainly to break the silence.

"What would you want?" Kurogiri asked.

"Information?" When he saw the uneasy looks the League members traded, he backpedalled. "Not about your plans or anything. I can't know very much about your organization or the detective will know I'm not telling the whole truth. I just like analyzing quirks, and you all have interesting abilities."

"Why not?" Shigaraki mused. "We still have an hour before we agreed to leave."

"Does anyone have a pen and paper?"

In a different part of the city, Naomasa had a veritable army assembled and they were coming up with a plan.

"So we bust down the walls and grab the kid," Deatharms shrugged. "They haven't sent any kind of ransom, and it's not like a quirkless kid would be worth anything else to them."

"You make a point," Tsukauchi said, feeling his ulcer in full force. "It's an incorrect point, but if that's the case, then your services won't be needed.. Thank you for your time."

"I just meant-"

"There is a missing child. He's probably scared and hurt, and he deserves just as much diligence and respect as anyone else in his position does," Tsukauchi said sharply. "Midoriya Izuku has people who love and worry for him. If anyone else has any issues or they would like to make light of this situation because the victim is quirkless, now is the time to leave."

Silence stretched over the room and Tsukauchi took a deep breath. "Good. Now we have two different locations we're going to strike. The main object of this is to recover Midoriya and Ragdoll, but we can also use this as an opportunity to strike at the League of Villains."

Very soon a plan began to unfold. They had almost no information on te location from the tracker that had been planted on the Nomu - they were gathering what they could, but the student who had createed the tracker had only recently woken up and informed them of its existence.

The other location, however, seemed much more important. A while ago Sansa had received a report of a suspicious individual walking into the bar outside of business hours - an individual whose physical description matched that of a man who had definitely been at the camp.

It was simple. Normally they would have waited for the cover of nightfall, but there was an urgency Naomasa didn't quite understand. He reasoned that the villains would be least expecting them to strike now. Just in case, though, they had to have enough manpower to handle a full-out war.

"We're going to concentrate our heavy hitters where the majority of our villains are going to be - All Might, Endeavor, Edgeshot and Kamui Woods are going with me there, along with a third of the assembled police officers. The rest of the heroes will go to the second location with another third of the police force. The remaining police will see to the safety of surrounding citizens setting up barricades and evacuating people as necessary.

There were a few questions, but Tsukauchi answered them quickly, dissuading others by saying, "You've all been broken into squads. Squad leaders will have in-depth information on your specific roles. We move out the second we're prepared."

A new hero who went by Freezepoint snorted. "Deatharms was right. We're going through all of this effort to save an old, washed-up hero and a quirkless kid who won't contribute anything to society?"

No one heard him except the hero standing next to him, who snickered and a particular pair of police officers who happened to be passing by. Saito opened her mouth to scream at the heroes, but Sasaki's wings snapped open, clipping Freezepoint in the back of the head.

"Sorry, it felt a little drafty," Sasaki said with absolutely zero remorse or even emotion in her voice. "Aren't you both so worried for the missing kid? I hear he saved some of the hero students' lives. And even if he hadn't, he still has people who care about him. And we're also women in a largely male field, so we've heard everything you're saying about Ragdoll before. It's really a testament to what a great hero she is. So maybe you two should stop gossiping like old women and actually do your job."

The frigid look in Sasak's eyes would have put Kondo to shame, and Saito had never been more proud. Little Midoriya had made quite the impact on all of them, and everyone from their station would doubtlessly fight tooth and nail to retrieve him - except maybe Mori. His willingness to contribute to the cause remained to be seen.

Toshinori didn't know very much about this quirkless child, but Naomasa cared deeply about him, so he would do whatever he could to bring this Midoriya home safely. He'd also heard that this child had saved a few of his students at the training camp. If that was true, Toshinori would have to commend the boy, perhaps give him an autograph.

He felt the slightest bit nervous when it was time to move out, but that was absurd. He was the Symbol of Peace, this was what he did. All Might strode forward, heedless of who noticed him. By the time the League saw them, it would be too late to do anything, and the heroes would once more prevail.

As was the plan, Edgeshot and a number of police officers went to the door while All Might went to the back. He waited for his cue. He was rather proud of it too, he'd assisted in coming up with this particular portion of the plan.

When he heard the telltale knock and call of, "Pizza delivery!" all that was heard from inside was the faint rustle of chains. At least, that was all that was heart before All Might punched the wall in, bellowing a mighty, "SMASH!"

The dust cleared, and All Might found himself alone in a room with a kid who was chained to some board-like structure. He was in rough shape with bruises forming under the dried blood on his face.

"Never fear, citizen, because I am here!" All Might dramatically declared. "Now point me to the dastardly villains who have mistreated you so, I shall make them pay!"

"What about Ragdoll?" the boy asked desperately. He had shrunk into himself, so All Might couldn't see the boy's face very clearly. "Have you found Ragdoll yet? Is she safe?"

The front door opened and Edgeshot calmly walked in. "We've checked everywhere, All Might. The villains are nowhere to be found. We'll take care of things over here, you go see if they need assistance at the other location."

All Might nodded, and in one might bound he was gone, out of sight. Izuku felt his heartbeat return to normal, but he twisted and looked at Edgeshot. "Is Ragdoll okay? Have you found her?"

Edgeshot carefully unwound the chains around the kid. "We haven't retrieved her as of yet, but I promise we've got our best people on the job. Sorry about that. All Might has good intentions, he just isn't the most gentle man by nature."

Izuku felt like he could attest to that. Just seeing All Might had brought back the memory of their first encounter in excruciating, throbbing detail. His body was also throbbing from the rubble that had hit him during the number one hero's grand entrance, but his heart hurt more. Did All Might recognize him? He was so caught in his mind that he couldn't even ask for Edgeshot's autograph, who was potentially one of the coolest heroes to exist.

Anxiety compounded with lack of sleep and even more anxiety muddled his mind - he wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. It was _now_ , now that he was safe and the villains were gone that he was completely falling apart. Someone was yelling and there was too much motion and noise, and- All Might saw him. All Might would reprimand him again for getting caught and this dream would die to and- and-

A pair of arms slipped around Izuku and someone was holding him tight, murmuring, "We have you Little Midoriya. You're safe now."

Hearing the words "Little Midoriya" made Izuku feel like he could breathe again. His own arms snaked around Officer Saito even as she said into her radio, "We've got Little Midoriya. He's safe now."

He wasn't quite sure how it all happened, but Izuku was ushered into an ambulance, and then into a hospital, an army of police officers following. He gave statements and answered questions for what seemed like an eternity. He vaguely registered some of the things that he was told, like the fact that he was in the same hospital the U.A. students who were injured were sent to. Other things would have to be told to him again, but any number of people would be happy to do so.

It was getting harder and harder for Izuku to concentrate on any one thing until the door opened and a woman with familiar green eyes walked in, twisting her hands together nervously.

"Mom!" Izuku sobbed as he bolted out of bed and rushed forward to her (despite the protests of the nearby nurse).

They hugged each other fiercely, both crying more than should be strictly physically possible. Mother and son stood there for a few moments, simply knowing that the other was _there_ , safe and alive.

Inko pulled away, even though it was the last thing she wanted to do. "You need to get back into bed just like the nurse says. I want them to make sure you're okay." She ran her fingers through his hair, briefly brushing the newly stitched cut on his forehead. "Does it hurt?"

"Not really. It only needed stitches because it was on my head, and they numbed me well," Izuku said, clambering back into the hospital bed.

"I was so worried, Izuku," Inko said, her hand finding his. "I don't know what I would do without you. I'm so glad you're safe."

They both looked up when knock sounded at the door. "I hope I'm not interrupting anything."

Izuku smiled, sitting up a little straighter. "Detective Tsukauchi! You're here!"

Sure enough, it was the detective, his clothes as equally rumpled as he was. "Hello Midoriyas, it's wonderful seeing you both safe."

"Why don't you join us, Detective? I can get you tea if-"

"Don't worry yourself, Mrs. Midoriya. I needed to see that Izuku was safe firsthand." Naomasa passed a hand over his face, breathing in deeply. "I also have some important things to discuss with both of you."

"This sounds serious," Inko said, straightening in her chair.

"I would have waited to have this conversation, but I was told to address this as soon as possible. We need to discuss the provisional police program," Tsukauchi said, taking a deep breath. "The police force is considering shutting it down."

"No!" Izuku protested.

"Just hear me out, Little Midoriya. We still think you're one of the most promising candidates we've ever had, but we put your safety first. You've already been involved in more serious incidents than most rookies see in their first year, and you haven't even finished the academy yet. I think that this could still be good for you, and for the public perception of the police, but we won't continue without your express permission. It comes down to what you say, Mrs. Midoriya."

"But wait, it wasn't-"

"Hush, Little Midoriya, let her think. If we do shut down the program, there's nothing stopping you from joining us once you're an adult."

Izuku turned to his mother, eyes pleading. In a trembling voice, Inko said, "I want nothing more than to tell you to shut it all down and have my baby safe for at least a few more years. But I can't."

The boy and detective watched Inko intently, hanging off her every word.

"I was terrified when you told me that Izuku was gone, absolutely terrified. I didn't know how I would survive without him if anything happened. But that's exactly how Kirimi's mother felt, and Kota's aunt, or so I'm told. I know how that hero student's mother felt, learning that her son could have died at the hands of Stain. Izuku gave those parents the same relief that you gave me today, Detective, and for that I thank you."

Tsukauchi was struck speechless watching this heroic mother, but now Inko was crying in earnest. "I just can't take this away from Izuku. He's already had one dream taken away from him, and I had a hand in that. Being told he couldn't be a hero nearly destroyed my boy, and I can never forgive myself for that. So really, thank you, Detective Tsukauchi. You brought my son a purpose again, and you brought him back to me."

Apparently tears were contagious, because Naomasa's eyes felt suspiciously wet at the moment. He managed to hold out, but the Midoriya cry-fest was only interrupted by Inko's cell phone. She jumped at the sound before excusing herself from the room, leaving Izuku and Tsukauchi alone.

The detective sighed. "Words cannot describe how happy I am that your mother is allowing us to continue. That also means I'm still your superior so I'm allowed to ask what on EARTH DID YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING? _How_ did you think that trading yourself to the _League of Villains_ was an acceptable strategy?"

"I'm sorry! It was the only thing I could think of, Dad. I just -" Izuku cut off, his cheeks blooming bright red as he realized what he'd said. "I'm sorry-"

"Don't worry about it," Tsukauchi said, his cheeks equally red. "But Saito can never hear of this."

In the hallway one Todoroki Shoto cocked his head at what he had accidentally overheard. He had been dragged to the hospital to visit his injured classmates. On his way to the bathroom he had gotten horribly lost, but he happened to stumble across Midoriya. He was pleased to find that the boy wasn't dead, and he resolved to pass the information along to his classmates.

However, there was one fact that Shoto was keeping to himself. He'd already had his suspicions, but this confirmed it: Midoriya was the detective's secret love child.

* * *

Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis

Name: Kondo Tsubaki

Age: 36

Height: 178 cm (5'10")

Occupation: Police Officer (Partners with Sasaki)

Physical Description: Average height, slender build, long, straight black hair; Kondo's most striking feature is her eyes. They're ice blue, and she is known to stop criminals with a single look. People who are subject to her gaze are reportedly frozen in place due to the "weight of her eyes." It's not her quirk, Kondo is just a terrifying individual when she chooses to be.

Personality: Kondo is coldly analytical, especially when on a case. She seems sharp and intimidating at first, and sometimes more so once you get to know her. Kondo expects a lot of people that she respects, but earning her approval will keep someone happy for weeks. However, when she is disappointed in you, "the look" will haunt you for even longer.

Quirk: Blade Arms- Kondo rarely uses her quirk, but it has the ability to harden and sharpen her arms along the side of her forearm. She claims it's not a very useful quirk, despite my objections and attempts to convince her otherwise.

Notes: She always seems reluctant to play poker at the station, but it's all a ruse. If you actually fall for her show of disapproval before you know it you'll be stuck with Kondo's cleaning duties for weeks.

* * *

 **A/N: This chapter was the easiest one to write for a while. It probably helped that I wasn't coming into this one blind, but who can tell? Once again, Kit was an incredible help to bounce ideas off of, but once more Kit mistook comedy for stupidity. You guessed it, she hated that Izuku ended up playing poker with the League, and she was a bit shocked that I even know how to play poker in the first place. She also felt that Todoroki falsely accusing Izuku of being someone's secret love child was unnecessary, but I wholeheartedly disagree. It's a very necessary development in any iteration of My Hero Academia. As per usual, she ended the conversation with, "Do what you want, you will anyway."**


	22. Chapter 22

"Izuku, Detective Tsukauchi just got here!" Inko called up the stairs.

He popped his head out the door in surprise. "Really? Why is the Detective here? I thought I was still grounded."

"He says that he needs you to fill something out at the station," Inko said. "I also need to come in case there's any parental permission issues, so put on your pants and come on."

After the incidents at the training camp, Izuku had been strictly forced to relax. All of the adults in his life had banded together, removing any and all things in his life that seemed like "work." He wasn't allowed anywhere near a police station, Valiant's training hall, or anything that could be misconstrued as analyzing a quirk.

It was torture. It had been all of three days and Izuku felt like he was going insane. He had done all of the laundry, washed all of the dishes, broken a few dishes… There just wasn't enough to occupy him, and all of his attempts to do anything else were quickly thwarted.

This meant that he jumped at the chance to go to the police station— he missed the officers and the sense of community that came with them. Even if he spent the entire time filling out paperwork— or heck, even scrubbing toilets— Izuku wasn't going to waste the chance.

Detective Tsukauchi was waiting in their living room when Izuku came spilling out of his room and down the stairs. He smiled at the sight, dipping his head. "Midoriya, you're looking eager."

"He's been a bit twitchy the past forty-eight hours," Inko confided. "I caught him chanting the various quirk classes and sub-classes to himself in his sleep."

"Mom," Izuku whined, feeling his cheeks flush. "I'm sure the detective doesn't want to hear about that, let's just go."

"Little Midoriya is right, we're on a tight schedule today," Tsukauchi said, opening the door. "After you, Mrs. Midoriya."

The drive over to the station was short, but pleasant. Tsukauchi was happy to hear about what Izuku had been doing in his free time, much of which had been dedicated to assuring Inko that the cut through his eyebrow did not need to be rebandaged or seen by a doctor again. When he wasn't washing dishes and doing laundry, that was.

He briefly noticed the unusual number of cars outside the police station, but before he could comment on them, Izuku was ushered inside. Mori was sulking at the front desk, probably taking over for Sansa after losing the last round of poker. When Izuku waved, the man simply looked away, pretending not to see him. As per usual, Mori was the pinnacle of maturity.

"We don't want to disrupt the normal flow of the station, so I'll have you take care of this in the back room. Go ahead of me, I'll be there in a moment. You as well, Mrs. Midoriya."

The mother and son made their way to the room, Izuku practically bouncing in excitement. Maybe he could get his hands on a case file or two to solve. He found himself opening the door of the dark room with a sort of reverence, nearly falling over when he was greeted with a deafening shout.

"SURPRISE!"

A light flicked on, and the sheer mass of people inside was a bit overwhelming. They were all people he knew — and they were all people he loved. All of the police officers aside from Mori were there, radios ready lest a call come in, but they were there. Mixed among them were police officers from other stations, Kimiko and her mother, a variety of pro-heroes, and a scattering of students his age. He barely registered Shinsou sliding his sunglasses over his eyes, mouthing, "Too bright." Along with the people, the room was packed with decorations, with tattered paper streamers stretching across the ceiling, along with birthday balloons, get-well-soon balloons, and even a few hero balloons.

"What's going on?" Izuku squeaked, already dangerously close to tears.

Tsukauchi wormed his way in until finally the crowd parted, allowing him to stand next to none other than Tsuragamae. The police chief was standing as straight as ever, but his mouth was turned up in as much of a smile as his physiology would allow. "Midoriya Izuku, I'm proud to announce that you are a pup no longer. As representative of Japan's police force, I welcome you as our newest official member."

Izuku made a strangled noise, which the police chief politely ignored.

"I have no doubt in my mind that you will become one of the finest police officers that this country has ever seen. You have already consistently put your life on the line to protect this nation's citizens. However, I do feel the need to remind you that it is not a requirement to get injured on every case we work with. In fact, we discourage it if possible." Tsuragamae paused to let the laughter die down before continuing, "This police station in particular holds some of the finest role models and examples to you for your future. Look to them, learn from them as you consistently change the world for the better. Midoriya Izuku, I offer my sincerest congratulations as I present to you your police badge."

As he spoke, he withdrew a badge from his coat, carefully depositing it into Izuku's hands. Izuku had held out valiantly, but at the sight and weight of the badge, Izuku promptly burst into tears joining Inko, who had been crying since everyone had yelled, "Surprise!"

Sansa looked surprised, leaning over to Tsukauchi. "I can't believe Tsuragamae made it through the only speech without any real dog puns."

"Thank you," Izuku blubbered. "I don't— I can't—"

"Just accept it and be happy, Little Midoriya," Saito said, looping an arm around his shoulders. "You've earned it, so celebrate with us. We got you a cake and everything!"

Through his tears, Izuku glanced over to the card table with food set out. On it rested a store-bought cake, still in its packaging with a discount tag clearly visible. In frosting was written, "Happy Retirement!"

Defying his physiological limits, Izuku cried even harder. "I love it. Thank you all so much, I love it."

Amongst the chaos, Ojiro slipped between people until he stood near enough Izuku to press a package of tissues into his hand. This made Inko cry harder, hugging the boy and thanking him for being in Izuku's life. The blond blushed ever so slightly, his tail wagging almost imperceptibly. "Oh, I enjoy it. Midoriya is one of my best friends, and I'm glad he's getting the recognition he deserves."

After that, Ojiro had both Midoriyas clutching him as they sobbed violently. He remained uneasily like that until Nakamura extricated him, fearful of the hero in training being drowned. Sasaki timidly asked, "Why are you crying so hard, Inko? You helped us plan this."

"I'm just so proud of my baby. I can't believe that he's so grown up!" she sobbed.

Eventually their tears did stop, and then the party was able to begin in earnest. Izuku tried to make his way through all of the guests, but there were two… complications to that plan. As he moved through the room, he was hindered by Kimiko on one leg, and Kota on the other.

"Hey Shinsou, thanks for coming," Izuku said casually.

Shinsou, still wearing his sunglasses, glanced briefly at the children. "I thought you and your mom were bright enough. I think I may die from overexposure. But seriously, congratulations Midoriya. You deserve this."

"It's cause he's the best!" Kimiko said proudly from his right leg.

"I do agree. But I should take my leave, I'll see you around, Midoriya," Shinsou said, slipping out the door.

As Izuku watched his friend leave, Valiant approached him. "We need to convince that boy to join the dojo. He's got some real potential, especially after the seeds that Eraserhead planted."

"One of these days, maybe. I know Shinsou would do well," Izuku said with a slight smile. "Thank you for coming, Master. Does this mean that I'm allowed to start coming to training again?"

"As long as you promise not to get kidnapped again," the man said sternly, only half-joking.

"I promise I will do everything in my power to avoid getting kidnapped again," Izuku said.

"That's all I ask. Now if you'll excuse me, I must go speak with Gunhead about his latest technique," Valiant said, strolling away.

"Get off of Izuku, he's my big brother!" Kimiko said, tightening her grip on his leg.

"He is not your big brother, you're just saying that. And he saved me from a scary villain, so I get to stay." Kota said stubbornly.

"He saved me first!"

Izuku leaned down as best he could. "Hey guys, I think their cutting into the cake." When they scrambled away, it almost felt like his legs were too light, and he nearly tipped over on the spot. He stumbled a few steps, righting himself just before he crashed into some distracted guests.

Oh. He was standing right in front of the Wild Wild Pussycats. It made sense that they were there, someone had to have brought Kota after all. Izuku had simply been mentally blocking out that truth, because he wasn't ready to confront the reality of the whole situation, or Ragdoll, for that matter.

The group was significantly more sedated than their normal behavior. They were more quiet, and Ragdoll in particular seemed more withdrawn and so, so tired.

He bowed low once their focus was on him. "I am so sorry. I couldn't… While I was held captive, I should have done more to help you, Ragdoll. I could have talked to them, convinced them… I could have saved your quirk, maybe. I just… I'm so sorry."

The guilt that had been gnawing at him since he'd learned of the loss of the woman's quirk was even worse now, and Izuku found that he couldn't look her in the eye - he couldn't look any of them in the eye. He'd failed them, and now Ragdoll was suffering. Part of him even considered giving the badge back to Tsuragamae, because clearly he wasn't ready for such responsibility.

"Hey, look at us, kitten," Pixie Bob said, gently raising his chin. "You did more for us than you can ever know. We don't blame you."

"We actually came to thank you," Mandalay interjected, smiling softly. "You saved a lot of people, especially Kota. You didn't just save his life, you gave him a purpose again. He won't stop talking about you, you know. One day he's determined to be a police officer just like you."

"You've got the fighting spirit," Tiger said, slapping Izuku on the back hard enough that he lurched forward a few inches. "Make good use of it."

"Will you three go get us something to eat and drink?" Ragdoll asked, her smile so frail. She stared down the other three heroes, a silent understanding passing between them before all but Ragdoll nodded and disappeared, effectively leaving Izuku and Ragdoll alone.

"I can see the apology coming, but it's not necessary. You couldn't have known that they took me as well, Midoriya. You did all that you could, just like I did. I felt the same way when I learned that they had taken you as well," Ragdoll said.

"But they took so much from you," Izuku whispered.

"Yes, my quirk is a large part of my life that I'll miss. But it's not who I am. Humans were perfectly functional before quirks appeared, and you're a living testament that they're not necessary. It's sad, but I'll just have to find a way to save people without a quirk, a lot like you have," Ragdoll said, a ghost of her former enthusiasm lighting up her face. "I know you're set on becoming a detective, but for what it's worth, you've got what it takes to be a hero, Midoriya. You've got the heart and passion, and I'm sorry that it took so long for people to realize it. The Pussycats and I will be watching you, and supporting you in whatever you may do. I know it's going to be great."

Tears burned Izuku's eyes, but somehow he was able to talk past them. "You four have also been an inspiration to me. Thank you, for being heroes that I could look up to when I needed it most."

Ragdoll sniffed, close to tears herself. "Well that's just not fair. Now I deserve a hug."

He stepped forward, shutting his eyes tight as he embraced the fragile hero. She was warm and comforting, and his heart sang with the knowledge that she supported him. He stood there for a moment, relishing the warmth until someone whined, "No fair, I want to hug the kitten too."

Izuku stepped back, cheeks burning as he watched Pixie Bob approaching. "Th-thank you all for coming, I should probably go see-"

"No way, kitten. You hugged Ragdoll, not you have to hug me. It's a rule," Pixie Bob said, reeling him in.

"We get to hug Little Midoriya now? Excellent!" an all-too-familiar voice crowed. Saito materialized, snatching the boy away from Pixie Bob and pulling him in close. Izuku's already red face blazed crimson, as the considerable height difference between him and Saito left his face smothered in her chest.

It stayed like this until Inko took pity on her son and extricated him from the police officer's grasp, giving Saito a light scolding. Izuku took the opportunity to escape and watch the party from afar for a few moments. There were a formidable number of people present, and the diversity was astounding. Kimiko was still commanding Kota to do various things while Valiant was discussing the pros and cons of certain techniques with Eraserhead, and Kondo was putting up a fairly good fight against Tiger in an arm-wrestling match.

"You know when I first met you, I thought, 'This kid is insane. Who just grabs a kidnapped child and runs from the kidnapper?'"

Izuku started before he realized that it was Detective Tsukauchi who had sidled up next to him.

"And then you kept coming back, and you kept doing insane things. Before long I knew that if we could keep you alive long enough, you would become the best detective this country has ever seen. This is your day, Midoriya. Let's go enjoy it."

* * *

Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis

Name: Mori Akito

Age:21

Height:180 cm (5'11")

Occupation: Police Officer

Physical Description:Mori is as close as one can come to looking like a delinquent while still being a police officer. He's got long black hair that he puts in a man bun unless Tsukauchi tells him to take it out, and black eyes to match. He also insists on keeping his "mustache," but Saito frequently claims that it looks like he taped a comb to his upper lip. He's on the tall side, but not comparable to the likes of Saito or Sohma, and he's more lean than muscular.

Personality: Mori is… sullen. He feels the need to be the center of attention, and the need to be the best. He can tend to treat his cases with some levity, but when the case involves children in any degree, he is a completely different officer. He can be irresponsible and a bit conceited, but I'm sure there's a side to him that I haven't seen yet - maybe one day he won't hate me anymore.

Quirk: Megaphone- Mori's quirk operates as a less powerful version of Present Mic's quirk. He can't do much in the way of directing his voice, and he doesn't have very much skill in terms of controlling or moderating his voice, but it is useful when trying to make announcements at the station or on a crime scene.

Notes: Mori graduated from the Police Academy at the top of his class, and he was put with Tsukauchi's station specifically because he has potential, but he needs to see past himself to unleash it. If we're viewing the station as a family, Mori is the sulky teenage son.

* * *

 **A/N: First of all, I just want to say thank you to everyone that waited so patiently and respectfully for this chapter. I know it took forever, and thank you all for being fantastic readers. I got food poisoning, and as soon as I was better enough, I had to move back to college. Because of that I was always too tired to write after I got done with whatever nonsense I had to take care of during the day. But here I am, using a bunch of ideas that Kit suggested, and even a few ideas that may have been a result of my fever. So it's an experiment.**

 **Classes start tomorrow for me. I'm excited, but also completely unprepared, so wish me luck! In that same vein, good luck to everyone that is starting school soon as well!**


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Spoiler warning to anyone who doesn't read the manga! This isn't going to go down like it does in canon AT ALL, but there are some characters you wouldn't know about.**

* * *

Monday morning dawned, and Izuku hadn't slept a wink. Just the knowledge that he was going to start the next day as an actual police officer was enough to keep him staring at the ceiling, hoping it wasn't all a dream. But the dryness in his eyes was a testament to reality. The excitement would wear off one day and he would be able to sleep again. Eventually. Probably. Maybe he needed to go see Recovery Girl.

Anyway, now it was at least a socially acceptable time to be awake (barely). Hoping to take care of some of his nerves, Izuku went for an extra long run that morning. He may have looped around the Police Station a few times, but no one would be able to prove a thing. But he was back in plenty of time to shower.

At that point Izuku couldn't resist any longer. Once the party was over, Tsukauchi had handed a uniform, which he hadn't allowed himself to try on until this very moment. Putting it on was almost a spiritual experience, carefully buttoning the freshly pressed shirt. Somehow his red sneakers even worked with the whole ensemble.

He was still an hour early when he came downstairs. Regardless, his mother was waiting with a warm breakfast. The second she saw him in his uniform, she promptly burst into tears. This led to Izuku bursting into tears as well as the two clutched one another.

"I'm so proud of you, Izuku," Inko sobbed. "You've grown up to be such a great man, and I can't believe you're already all grown up."

"I love you, Mom," Izuku said through his own tears. "Thank you for supporting me."

Inko sniffed, finally pulling away. "The food is going to get cold."

Nodding, Izuku sat down, picking up his chopsticks. It was a nice meal, relatively tearless, and as always, delicious. But soon enough they both had to leave for work, something that thrilled Izuku. Inko offered to drive him to the Police Station, but he declined. He knew he needed to have some alone time to sort out his thoughts before he got there.

As he made his way to the station, he couldn't help but recall the first timehe had set food in the place, Kimiko in tow and a madman on his tail. It had been an awakening for him - he was still able to help people, just like he'd always dreamed of. Apparently Kimiko and Kota had a playdate next week. Sasaki had started referring to them as "the Littlest Midoriyas," and Izuku couldn't find it in him to protest.

"Excuse me young man, just what do you think you're doing?" a stern voice demanded, cutting through the silence.

Izuku startled before turning to face the intimidating suited man. He looked familiar for some reason, but Izuku couldn't quite place him. "Can I help you, sir?"

He was a tall, daunting figure with everything from his hair to his shoelaces immaculately in place. The eyes behind his glasses were completely unimpressed as he surveyed Izuku. "This look of yours could almost be comical if it weren't illegal."

It was beginning to bother Izuku how familiar the man looked, but at the moment he was too… Well, he couldn't quite put a name to the emotions running through him. Regardless, they kept him from identifying the man.

"There must be some kind of misunderstanding, sir, I'm an officer at the nearest police station. I'm actually headed to work right now. If that's all you need, I wish you a good d-"

A thin hand snaked forward, clasping Izuku's shirt collar in an iron grasp. "This was hardly amusing at the start of your charade, but now it's a serious breach of the law. Come with me, young man, you are going to understand the gravity of your actions by the end of the day."

Fighting to get the man to let go, Izuku snapped, "I appreciate your dedication to preserving the sanctity of being a police officer, but at the very least you could let me go. I'm on my way to the police station. Here is my badge, because _I am an officer."_

His eyes flicked down to the proffered badge, still completely unimpressed. The man let go of the shirt collar, only to clasp Izuku's forearm in a death grip. "I'm assuming you have some kind of illusionary quirk. Luckily for me, I was headed to the police station as we speak, so we can kill two birds with one stone. Once we're done, I doubt you'll ever impersonate someone in a position of authority again."

The stranger was too tall, and he kept his stride long and quick, which meant that Izuku couldn't effectively keep up, instead stumbling behind the man while his face burned in embarrassment. The rest of the walk to the station felt even longer than normal, and Izuku had lost any and all pride in himself. When the man dragged him into the station, he almost cried to have all of his role models see him humiliated like this.

Kondo rose from behind the desk,dwarfed by the man but matching him in spirit. "Just what are you doing to the boy, sir?"

"This boy is obviously passing as a police officer," the man said. "I'm sure you understand the gravity of his actions."

"I'm sure you want to let go of Officer Midoriya before I taze you for assaulting an officer," Saito spat, fury blazing in her eyes.

At that the crushing grip finally relented, and Izuku flexed his fingers as feeling returned to them. Once he stepped away from the man, recognition finally dawned on him. "Oh, you're Sir Nighteye, All Might's previous sidekick. I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, but Detective Tsukauchi is expecting me."

"I am actually here to speak with the Detective as well and I'm short on time. My apologies for the whole situation, but-"

"Do you have an appointment?" Kondo asked.

"No, but the matter is urgen-"

"You'll wait," Nakamura commanded.

"Midoriya has important police business. You may be a hero, but our work doesn't pause or wait for you. If you would let us know when you're coming, we could accommodate your schedule. As it stands, the detective is in an important conference call and is currently unable to speak to either of you."

Sansa idled up to Izuku, looking regretful. "I hate to ask this of you, but it's been a hectic morning, Midoriya. Can you take Sir Nighteye to the waiting room and see that he stays there? If he stays in here too much longer Saito might punch him in the face, and we don't need to fill out paperwork explaining why it happened _again."_

Izuku nodded. "Yeah, I can do that, Sansa. Do we have any coffee to offer him?"

"Mori brewed it today, I would be hesitant."

"Note taken, no coffee unless I decide to enact vigilante justice and poison the man," Izuku said with a small smile.

"Remember Midoriya, you earned your spot here. You are a fully capable and certified Police Officer, and you deserve to be recognized as such. That means that you work adjacent to heroes, even Sir Nighteye. Hold your head up and be rightfully proud of what you've accomplished."

A real smile found its way to Izuku's face as he looked up at the cat officer. "Thanks, Sansa. You're the best."

"Thanks for helping me put out a few fires, Officer Midoriya," Sansa said, ruffling Izuku's hair.

Hearing those words made Izuku feel the same excitement he'd woken up with that morning. He could handle Sir Nighteye for a few minutes for the sake of the station (and Saito's career).

Izuku came into the room at exactly the right time, interrupting a heated debate between Sir Nighteye and Saito. The officer looked about to strangle the hero, and Nakamura was doing his best to restrain his partner, hissing, "He's not worth it. Who's going to prank Kimura when she's back if you're in jail?"

"Sir Nighteye, I'll show you to our waiting room while the detective is still busy with this call," Izuku said, in his approximation of a customer service voice. At least, he'd been told that working with the general public the way that police officers and EMTs do is not dissimilar to working in retail, or food service. Often you have to deal with the worst in people.

The man wordlessly followed, eyes bright and analytical. "So tell me, how did you come to be an officer at such a young age?"

"Well, it was just this year that the Police Force started the Provisional Police Program, and I was the first participant. It hasn't been well publicized because I want to operate like the rest of the Police Force, kind of working in the shadow of the heroes so I can help people more effectively. We can't all be All Might, after all," Izuku said with a bitter smile. "Would you like some tea?"

"No… indeed we can't all be All Might. Yes on the tea, though." Sir Nighteye said, staring at Izuku with an intensity that made him shift in his seat. "How did you come to be the first participant in this program? Why would they choose you? And why did you choose to become a police officer in the first place?"

"Well I originally wanted to be a hero," Izuku said, trying not to wither under the man's gaze, "but I'm quirkless, and I've been informed by several reliable sources that that isn't an option. I would probably have to say that Detective Tsukauchi noticed me the same time I realized I wanted to become a police officer. There was a little girl who had been kidnapped named Kimiko…" He told the story as quickly as possible, ending with, "And that's how I got to be noticed by Detective Tsukauchi."

Sir stared at the boy like he was trying to figure something out when it finally clicked into place. "You were the boy that took down Stain, weren't you?"

"Yes?" Izuku said, fiddling with something he had pulled from his pocket. He didn't know how to react to Sir Nighteye, the hero was unpredictable.

"You've already had a fairly illustrious career, I must commend - must you insist on playing with that… What is that?"

"Sorry," Izuku squeaked, holding the object up for scrutiny. "I do this when I get nervous sometimes, it stops me from muttering. It's a Chinese finger trap, I always have one handy after I incapacitated Shigaraki with one a while ago."

The hero choked on his tea. "You did what? Are you talking about Shigaraki Tomura, leader of the League of Villains?"

"Yes?" Izuku squeaked again, the pitch even higher this time. "I was at the mall with some friends, and he was there and threatened to kill a lot of people, but I had just gotten these at a joke shop and his quirk is activated through touching something with all five of his fingers, so I just…"

Izuku had to forcibly clamp his mouth shut, ending the deluge of information, terrified to meet the eyes of the hero that was just. Staring at him. He'd royally screwed things up this time, now Sir Nighteye would probably begin proclaiming to the masses that the Police Force was incapable, that they should have never begun the Provisional Police Program to begin with-

After a few moments of staring at the currently panicking police officer, Sir Nighteye laughed. It was a hearty laugh from the belly, and he was in no hurry to stop laughing. Izuku was petrified as he watched the man laugh enough to bring tears to his eyes. Between guffaws, Sir asked, "How did you… How did you get the finger traps on him?"

"He was trying to get me to join him and gesturing kind of wildly, so I just… Slipped it on? And then a second one so he couldn't disintegrate the first one."

This only brought more laughter, which was only interrupted by an alarmed Sansa stepping into the room. "Is everything okay in here, Midoriya?"

"I think so?"

The other officer surreptitiously glanced at the hero whose laughter was only now dying down. "Well, the detective is ready to see you, Midoriya. Shortly afterwards he'll talk with you, Sir Nighteye."

Izuku rose, glad for the opportunity to escape. "Thanks, Sansa."

Once in the familiar office, he immediately felt calmer. Detective Tsukauchi looked up from his paperwork, already smiling. "Welcome to your first day on the force, Officer Midoriya."

With that single sentence, Izuku felt the excitement that had kept him up all night return in full force. "Reporting for duty, Detective Tsukauchi."

"Sit down, we need to discuss the plan. Obviously, right now you are a rookie, but your training was a bit… unconventional. There are areas that you're knowledgeable and skilled in already that usually takes years to gain proficiency, but at the same time, there were things in your training that were forgotten or put off, so we have some things to take care of. First order of business, this." Opening a drawer, the detective carefully laid a holstered handgun onto the desk. "This is yours once Sansa trains you well enough that we're sure you won't shoot your foot off, or anything or anyone you don't mean to. We also have this for you."

The next item to be added to the table was a belt with a multitude of compartments. "While the fanny pack is great for when you're off duty, we do have a certain dress standard that's expected of us. This was the more… professional option. Saito is still trying to come up with a name for the belt, please don't encourage her. It has all the standard police equipment, with a few empty compartments for you to do whatever you deem necessary with."

A small smile spread over Izuku's face, his hands already itching to see what equipment they had found for him this time.

"We also wanted your opinion on something," Detective Tsukauchi continued.

Izuku's eyes snapped to the detective's face. "Yes?"

"Your situation is… unusual. We both know this," Tsukauchi said slowly. "Publicly, the only thing you've done is defeat Stain. You're young, and very few people take notice of their local police officers. We have a unique opportunity for you to consistently go on undercover missions without jeopardizing your cover."

"Are you serious?" Izuku asked excitedly.

"We need to talk it over with your mother, obviously, but Tsuramagae and I were discussing the benefits of having you develop an underground persona. This might not be for a few years, but we think you would be the perfect person for the job. And if you're going to make an impact, you need to be remembered." Rolling his chair back, Detective Tsukauchi produced a long, sleek katana that was all too familiar to Izuku. "Tsuramagae has decided that this would be a sort of proof of your legitimacy. You will not touch this until you have trained extensively with Valiant and he okays you using it. If you get hurt by this sword again, I swear I will have it melted down and made into a helmet for you."

"Is that Stain's sword? I get Stain's sword?" Izuku asked reverently, ignoring the reminder of Izuku's last interaction with this particular sword.

"It wasn't my idea at all, but yes Midoriya, you get Stain's sword," Tsukauchi said, looking exhausted at the thought. "Take this and go find Sansa, your firearm training starts today."

Naomasa watched Izuku scurry from the room clutching the gun with far too much enthusiasm. He had the utmost respect for the boy, and he was extremely grateful for the day that he had wandered into Naomasa's admittedly dull life. But as much as he saw the boy's potential, he worried for Izuku's well-being. He would just have to hope that they had trained Izuku well enough.

His office door opening pulled Naomasa from such thoughts, and he found himself meeting eyes with a person he hadn't seen for quite a while. "Sir Nighteye, it's been a while."

"Where did you find Midoriya? He's one of the singularly most remarkable children I've ever met," Sir said, taking a seat.

"Midoriya found us," Naomasa said a bit hesitantly. "How can I help you, Sir Nighteye?"

"Onto business, I suppose. You may have already caught wind of this, Tsukauchi, but I'm currently leading the efforts against a specific sect of the Yakuza, a sect led by a man named Overhaul," Nighteye said. "I've come to enlist your help."

"I assume Toshinori isn't among your force," the detective speculated. "I'm willing to hear you out, but I need more information than that. How much information do you have? What exactly do you need from me?"

"This was my initial plan," Sir said, sliding a folder of papers to Naomasa. "Look over them as you will, it's got all of the details and facts that I have. I initially wanted to simply request you and a handful of your officers for reinforcements, but my request has changed a bit."

At those words, Detective Tsukauchi had to resist reaching for the bottle of antacids in his desk drawer. He could feel the ulcer already. "And how has your request changed?"

"I want Midoriya undercover."

A heartbeat passes with the two men staring one another down, until Tsukauchi firmly said, "No."

"Hear me out, if we had Midoriya-"

"He's fifteen, I said no. I'm not sending him into the heart of Yakuza as his first mission."

"He's the same age as the hero students we consistently put into danger," Sir Nighteye argued. "I haven't looked into what the results would be with Midoriya on our side, but I can feel it in my bones that he's a vital piece of this."

Naomasa clenched his hands into fists under his desk, refraining from speaking for a few moments. "Tell me how Midoriya would modify your plans. I will _think_ about it, and after discussing with him and his mother, I will give you my answer."

* * *

Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis

Name: Sohma Ukyo

Age: 59

Height:183 cm (6')

Occupation: Police Officer - Partners with Mori

Physical Description: Officer Sohma is exactly what you picture when you think of a kindly grandfather. He has salt and pepper hair, although it is admittedly more white than black anymore. His body is in great shape for his age, even though he may have a bit of a belly from his wife's cooking.

Personality:Sohma is very kind and calm. He's always willing to lend a hand, though he's not afraid to reprimand people when it is absolutely necessary. (This may be why he was paired with Mori.)

Quirk: Icy Gale- Sohma can summon (not generate) cold bursts of wind. The limit to his quirk seems less to have to do with how strong the gusts of wind are, and more with the temperature of the wind. More tests to follow.

Notes: Sohma is known as the Station Grandpa, but he also loves talking about his grandchildren as well. He will show them off at every opportunity, and bring them to the station whenever there's a hint of a reason. For some reason he started keeping a picture of me in his wallet along with them. I've attempted to ask him about it, and he just replied, "Well, I have to show you off too," before changing the subject.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the long wait! College has been insane this semester, but once I'm settled into a schedule this semester I should hopefully find better windows of time to write. This chapter ended up being a lot longer than I expected, but it's here! Izuku is a cop! Kit hates that he's wearing the red shoes with the uniform, but that's an essential part of writing Izuku. Things are going to start picking up again soon. We've got a little bit of time before we see Overhaul, and after that arc, we're going to have a time skip to where the prologue started. You'll get some answers soon! Let me know what you thought about my portrayal of Nighteye, I wasn't feeling super confident since I haven't seen him animated, really. Characterization can be hard to fully grasp on a black and white page.**

 **If you read my other fic, you'll have seen that I have an idea for a story after I finish Arson (only a few more chapters to go!). I'm a sucker for fics where Izuku and Aizawa get stuck in familial situations. If that's something that would interest you, let me know! Kit initially hated the idea, but she's warming up to it more and more. We're roommates, and last night she knocked on my bedroom door at like 1:30 am to tell me an idea for that story.**


	24. Chapter 24

Izuku took to police work almost seamlessly - indeed, it was so easy that the police officers, Tsukauchi in particular, couldn't help but feel suspicious. Things never went this smoothly, especially if Izuku was involved. No one had been injured in the process of his firearm training, or his sword training with Valiant aside from a few bruises. In fact, the boy showed an innate talent for both.

This should have comforted Naomasa, but somehow it made things worse. He couldn't forget his conversation with Sir Nighteye, it haunted him more often than he would like to admit. Sir had petitioned Tsuragamae for the aid of Izuku, and they would be hearing back on the decision by week's end. A storm was brewing, and Naomasa prayed Midoriya wouldn't fall victim to it.

But the boy deserved to know what was going on, and that was why he ended up calling Midoriya into his office that fateful morning. He smiled at the detective, but Midoriya was clearly apprehensive. "You called for me, Detective?"

"Sit down, Midoriya. You're not in trouble, I promise. We just have some serious matters to discuss."

The boy sagged in relief. "Oh, thank goodness. Mori told me… but of course it isn't true, you would have-"

"Are you with me, Midoriya?"

"Y-yes sir."

"Good," Naomasa said, making a mental note to interrogate Mori later. "Midoriya, how do you feel about becoming an undercover cop?"

The boy cocked his head. "It intrigues me, and I am curious about potentially having an underground persona. I think it will help a lot of our investigations once I've had enough training."

"Midoriya, you deserve to know this: as of right now, you are the top candidate to go undercover for a mission dealing with the Yakuza. Nothing has been officially decided, but there's a high possibility you'll be asked to do this. Talk it over with your mother. By no means do you have to say yes, you have a few weeks, if not a month before you'll have to make a decision. I just want you to have time to think it over."

Izuku was stunned. "Why would they choose me? I'm just a rookie!"

"You've impressed the hero leading the whole operation. Besides, you would be perfect for this particular job for a variety of reasons. Legally I can't go into those details until you're formally being informed of the job, though," Tsukauchi said.

"I understand."

Naomasa took a deep breath, leaning back in his chair. "So tell me, Midoriya, how are things going? We haven't had the chance to-"

Before Tsukauchi could finish his statement, Nakamura burst into the room, breathless. The officer cut off the detective's protest with, "I'm sorry sir, but we have a code 303."

"A 303? Who would bring a-"

"No sir, not that 303. You know," Nakamura said, staring at Tsukauchi intently, "a _303_."

The detective paled visibly over a manner of seconds. "Nakamura, hold her off as long as possible. Midoriya, hide under my desk and no matter what happens, don't come out until I give you the all clear."

"What? Why?" Izuku protested while Nakamura scurried away.

"There's no time, I promise I'll explain later," Tsukauchi said, dragging Izuku behind his desk.

"But-"

"Get down and stay quiet. You'll understand later," Tsukauchi said frantically. "Just stay quiet."

Confused, Izuku did sink down to the ground, hugging his knees to his chest as he burrowed underneath the desk. He waited with bated breath, and before too long the door opened.

"Naomasa!" a syrupy voice gushed. Even without seeing the speaker, Izuku could sense the layers of calculation in her voice. "How's my favorite big brother?"

"I'm at work, Makoto. Today especially I don't have time to answer your questions. If you want to talk to me then you'll have to see me after work," Tsukauchi said in the flattest voice Izuku had ever heard from the man.

"And then you'll tell me what it's like having your good friend All Might in the same city as you?" she said, her voice even sweeter than before - it was almost sweet enough to make Izuku nauseous.

"You know what my answer will be," Tsukauchi said a bit coldly. "Now go, I have important work to do."

"Fine, I can always interview your little officers, I'm sure they've had some interesting cases lately," the girl said airily. "Besides, Saito always has something fun to tell me about you and what's going on at the station."

"They also have work. Why are you even in Musutafu? Weren't you just telling me how much they need you at work in Tokyo?"

"My boss thought I was the right person to interview All Might and some of his students! Isn't that such a great career opportunity?"

"Then why are you here instead of interviewing them?" Tsukauchi asked.

"Well, we didn't exactly secure an interview with him, that's part of the job. But since my big brother knows All Might so-"

"No."

"Naomasa, I don't think you heard me. I said-"

"No, Makoto. You know that I cannot and will not disclose anything about this. And trying to throw my name around won't help a thing, so don't even try. If you get an interview with All Might, it will be through your efforts," the detective said firmly.

Izuku's legs were getting cramped under the desk. He couldn't help but be curious about this Makoto - apparently the detective's sister? But based on Tsukauchi's reaction, he couldn't help but feel a healthy fear for her as well, she seemed truly formidable. He hadn't even met the woman, but the thought of her combining forces with Saito and Sasaki was enough to make him feel nauseous. Or maybe he was nauseous from all the talk of All Might.

Was the detective friends with the hero? It would make sense, Tsukauchi did get put on a lot of high profile cases, he was bound to have worked with the hero a time or two. Besides, he had listened to All Might, he had gone into law enforcement. That knowledge didn't dispel the slight bitterness he felt towards the hero, or the fear that this dream would also be crushed.

"But Naomasaaaa-"

"We both have work, Makoto. If you start asking now, you might be able to get an interview with him by the end of summer."

The woman huffed. "Fine, be a stick in the mud as per usual, Naomasa. By the way, I'm crashing at your place this week."

As soon as the door closed behind his sister, the detective sprang into action. He pulled Izuku to his feet wincing sympathetically when the boy hissed from the feeling returning to his legs that had been asleep.

"I'm sorry, Midoriya. I swear I will explain everything later, but for now I need you to-"

The door burst open, cutting off Tsukauchi. "I knew it! You were talking to All Might, or your secret lover, or-" Makoto broke off, her eyes zeroing in on Izuku. "Who is this? Naomasa? Your secret love child? You're going to break Mom's heart."

"I'm not-"

"No, Makoto. _No."_

"Well someone better start explaining why we have a junior officer in here that's just as plain-looking as my dear brother," Makoto said, crossing her arms. "How old are you, kid? Twelve? You may look cute playing dress up, but you're not going to get many girls like that."

"I'm almost sixteen!" Izuku squawked indignantly.

"Midoriya is our newest police officer via the new Provisional Police Program. And no, you can't interview him."

Izuku found himself being scrutinized intensely by the girl's green eyes. "A police officer at twelve years old, interesting." She stared at him a bit longer before blurting, "I need him."

"What?"

"No."

Makoto batted her eyelashes. "This would have made the news if you had wanted it to be public knowledge. I can always make it public knowledge."

"I can always arrest you."

"You know you wouldn't, Naomasa. Hear me out, you let Midoriya come with me to request an interview with All Might and a few of his students. I stay out of your hair, Midoriya makes sure I don't do anything illegal, and I get to know my secret nephew," Makoto wheedled. "Come on, it's a win for everyone."

"Makoto-"

She placed her hands on his desk, eyes boring into his. "Just think of all the things I could get into and investigate without supervision."

Silence hung in the air, taut between the siblings. A few tense moments passed before Detective Tsukauchi sighed, a long, weary sigh. "Midoriya, you'll be accompanying my sister from today until she leaves the city. I would suggest going plainclothes - take the fanny pack. Don't let her do anything illegal, and don't let her corrupt you."

"Awe, I knew you cared!" Makoto gushed.

"If you corrupt that child I'm going to tell Mom about _the incident,"_ Tsukauchi threatened. Opening one of the desk drawers, he offered Izuku a pair of handcuffs. "Midoriya, if she doesn't listen to you, feel free to arrest her."

"I love you too, Naomasa," Makoto said, blowing a kiss. "I'll wait in the lobby for you, nephew."

"I'm not- and she's gone. Detective? What just happened?" Izuku asked.

"She played me to get what she wants, just like she always does. I just hope she doesn't introduce you to her college friends - there's something about them I just don't trust. Be careful, Midoriya, and vigilant. But also enjoy yourself. You might even get to meet All Might."

Izuku paled at the thought, but managed to keep the smile on his face. "We'll just have to see what happens, I guess."

His mind raced as he walked to the locker room, mechanically changing into the spare set of clothes he kept at the station. He shrugged on the t-shirt that read "Polo Shirt" and a pair of cargo shorts. He hoped that Makoto was more tolerant of his his fashion than the female officers were - Saito often threatened to overhaul his entire wardrobe.

But any thoughts like this were mainly to drown out the sheer panic at the thought of meeting All Might again. It would be fine. Once Makoto secured her interview with the man he could escape. Maybe Ojiro or Shinsou would have free time, he hadn't gotten to see much of either boy since U.A. decided to implement the dorm system. He would just have to take care to avoid Kacchan, but at this point Izuku was almost a master at that.

But All Might. The thought of the hero did make Izuku a bit nauseous, and he felt the absurd need to hide from the man. It was ridiculous, really. Even his bitterness towards the man was fading as his life was consumed with police work. He had found the place that he belonged. But Izuku felt the absurd need to stay away from the hero until he had proven himself and become the youngest detective in history.

Avoiding All Might would just have to be the plan for now. If the students were busy, Izuku was sure Nezu would let him camp out in his office without asking too many questions. Maybe he could even catch a nap in Aizawa's sleeping ba— scratch that, Izuku valued his life. If all else failed, U.A. was bound to have a broom closet to sequester himself in.

 _Whatever happens, happens,_ Izuku told himself as he buckled the fanny pack. The familiar weight was comforting, and he found that he was able to breathe normally again. Everything would work out one way or another.

"No fair, Little Midoriya gets to accompany you? I have to do paperwork!" Saito complained.

"If you don't do your paperwork you'll be as bad as the station that let Midoriya get kidnapped," Sansa said, warning in his voice. "Besides, Kimura will be back any day now, do you really want to explain to her why you haven't finished your paperwork?"

"That's low," Saito said, but it clearly worked, based on the way she attacked the stack of papers with vigour.

"We're off to interview heroes!" Makoto said, saluting the room full of officers. "I'll bring the kid back before curfew."

"Don't let him get hurt, please," Nakamura said in passing, carrying a crate full of files. "Your brother will kill you."

"I'll be fine, Nakamura. I promise. But we should probably leave soon," Izuku said, subtly nudging her toward the door.

"Good point, I want to interview everyone I can! I'll see you all later!"

Upon exiting the station, they walked the first few blocks in silence. Izuku found himself fiddling with the zippers of the fanny pack, unsure of what to do or say. He hadn't felt this awkward for a while, and he wasn't quite sure what to do about it.

He was caught off guard by the woman seizing his forearm. "Be real with me, kid. Are you my nephew?"

"You actually thought that?" Izuku squeaked. He blushed, and clearing his throat, he continued in a deeper voice, "No, Detective Tsukauchi is just someone I admire a lot."

She withdrew her hands, looking disappointed. "I figured Naomasa was too straightlaced to have a secret love child, but I kind of hoped… Nevermind, it's not your problem, kid."

They walked on in a heavy silence until Izuku said, "The first time I met him, the detective seemed a bit lonely. I was worried about him."

"Naomasa wasn't built to be alone," Makoto said sadly. "He takes everything so seriously, and… he needs someone to take care of him."

"I wouldn't say that," Izuku countered. "I see where you're coming from, but since I've gotten to know him, I've seen firsthand that the station is just as much the detective's family as it is mine. One day he'll find someone to share his life with, but in the meantime you don't need to worry, we'll take care of your brother. We all care about him, even Mori, believe it or not."

Makoto stared at him for a few moments before smiling. "I don't need my quirk to know that you actually mean that. I'm going to hold you to that, kid. I can see why Naomasa likes you so much. Maybe we'll work on a story together one day."

Izuku glanced at her from the side. "You're a journalist, aren't you? What kind of journalism do you usually do?"

"Investigative journalist is my title, but my work usually centers on heroes."

"So you're good at uncovering information about heroes, right?"

Makoto gave him a sly look. "I have a feeling I'm going to like you. From the way you're talking, it sounds like we're going to be doing something my brother is going to hate."

Izuku bit his lip, seriously debating with himself. "You can keep a secret, right?"

"Little Midoriya, while I enjoy getting published, I _live_ for finding answers."

A fierce debate was raging through Izuku's mind. Could he trust Makoto? He didn't get any suspicious vibes from her, just ambitious ones. Besides, he didn't know if an opportunity like this would ever present itself again. Closing his eyes, he asked, "How much do you know about Endeavor?"

* * *

Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis

Name: Kimura Yuki

Age: 28

Height: 182 cm (6'11.5") (2cm taller than Mori)

Occupation: Police Detective

Physical Description: Kimura has long, straight blue-black hair, and ice blue eyes. She is tall and slim, and I definitely did not write that because she almost killed Mori for commenting about the baby weight she hasn't lost yet.

Personality:Detective Kimura has a wicked sense of humor. She will start a prank war at the tip of a hat, especially if Saito is involved in any way. Tsukauchi and her husband are the only known means of keeping her in check. However, Kimura is one of the most gifted homicide detectives in the entire country. She takes her job seriously, and loves her family dearly.

Quirk: Medusa Stare - While looking at a person, Kimura can induce partial or full-body paralysis, although, much like Eraserhead, the effect stops when Kimura blinks. Kimura, however, does not suffer from Dry Eye, nor do her eyes change color while her quirk is being used. She seems to have a limit of using it for roughly ten minutes a day.

Notes: Kimura is getting back from maternity leave next week, and from the stories I've heard, she's someone to watch out for. I just need to find a way to get on her good side. I kind of know her at this point from the few times she's stopped into the station, but it usually ended abruptly via her husband dragging her away, telling her she was on leave. I hesitantly look forward to getting to know Kimura better, I just have to avoid coming between her and Saito for any reason.

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the radio silence! It's been almost a month since I last posted, but I swear I'm not abandoning this! A lot of my writing energy was just focused on finishing Arson and planning the new story I've been working on. It took a lot of time to get Arson to an ending I was satisfied with. Besides that, I started my second job, dealt with a lot of family drama, and been in a car accident. I'm fine, and the other guy is fine, but I've been fighting with insurance and the autobody shop because I'm a poor college student who shouldn't have to pay for someone else's mistake. My car (Kris) will hopefully be fine too. I guess schoolwork also factors into the delay? It's been a crazy semester.**

 **Kit says hello, by the way! If you follow me on tumblr, you'll see her birthday has come and gone. I gave her her very own Save My Fanny Pack! She opened it and immediately said, "I hate you, this is the worst," which means she loved it. We've got a little ways to go before the Overhaul arc, just a few loose ends to tie up. However, those of you who don't like manga spoilers, beware. The plot isn't going to be anything like the manga, but there will be more characters you haven't met in the anime yet that make an appearance. (Speaking of anime, IT'S OCTOBER! SEASON FOUR IS COMING!)**

 **See you next chapter!**

 **Rogue**


	25. Chapter 25

The gates of U.A. were somehow more intimidating than normal. They loomed over Izuku, and he couldn't help but feel uneasy. This was his first time being at the school while class was being held. All Might _and_ Kacchan were waiting for him somewhere in here.

He did his best to regulate his breathing. It would be fine. He had faced Stain and the League of Villains. This was supposed to be a school for heroes, someone would stop Kacchan from killing him. Hopefully.

His hand slightly shook as he buzzed the intercom.

"Yes?"

He cleared his throat. "It's Midoriya Izuku with a guest. I'd like to speak to Principal Nezu, please."

"You know the way," the voice crackled before the gates swung open.

Gesturing for Makoto to follow, Izuku led the way through the behemoth campus. The walk to Nezu's office was short, but Makoto watched everything with frighteningly perceptive eyes. He could sense articles upon articles resulting from that - "An Insider Look Into U.A." and the like.

Nezu was in his office waiting with a serene smile. For some reason, Makoto seemed uneasy. Izuku only smiled brightly at the bear. Mouse? Dog? He smiled at the principal.

"Officer Midoriya, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Good morning, Principal Nezu. I'm actually not here on my own business, I'm accompanying Tsukauchi Makoto. She's a reporter with a favor to ask."

"Oh?" Nezu asked, eyes unreadable as they slid to the woman.

Even though Makoto seemed uneasy, she stepped forward boldly. "As Midoriya said, I'm Tsukauchi Makoto, a reporter for the Tokyo Times. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise. What brings you to our school, Ms. Tsukauchi, with a police escort no less?"

"I've been assigned to get an interview with All Might and some of his students," Makoto said bluntly. "To be perfectly frank, Principal Nezu, I _will not_ be leaving until I get it."

Nezu's eyes sparkled, and from their chats Izuku knew that Makoto was playing a dangerous game. While Izuku would go as far as to call himself and Nezu friends, he knew _never_ to challenge Nezu.

"Officer Midoriya, feel free to explore the campus. I believe Eraserhead just released his class until lunch to do research on an upcoming project. I believe a good portion of them are in the library. You can leave Ms. Tsuakauchi and me to our negotiations."

"Is that okay with you, Ms. Tsukauchi?" Izuku asked.

"Go. We're about to have a battle of wits."

Glad to somewhat decrease his chance of crossing paths with All Might, Izuku nodded at the two before stepping out the door. As he walked, he thought of the conversation he had had with Makoto on the way over here.

He wasn't sure how to handle the whole situation. Todoroki deserved to be saved from his father, he needed to be able to be a kid. But, even with as much as he despised Endeavor, Izuku just couldn't destroy the man. As the Number 2 Hero, if Endeavor was exposed, then the entire foundation of their heroic society would take a hit, and chaos would abound. While the whole society was problematic in a plethora of ways, right now, no one was really prepared to offer an alternative. His own prejudices aside, Izuku could see why All Might had worked so hard to establish himself as the symbol of peace. Statistically, it was effective. It significantly lowered crime rates, but it also fed into the somewhat toxic heroic culture.

This was why he couldn't bring the detective in on this. Tsukauchi would be legally and honor bound to go through the proper channels, which would only cause mass chaos. On the other hand, Makoto had no such reservations and a knack for sniffing out information, if her articles he'd briefly looked at were any indication. He just needed to swear her to secrecy if things worked out the way he hoped they would.

He had to halt this line of thinking as he approached the library. Izuku doubted that Kacchan would be there - there were likely too many extras in there for his taste. He was most likely holed up in his room doing what research he could on his laptop until he could go to the library when it was more empty.

Even with that reasoning, Izuku found himself hesitating before the library door. He debated heavily with himself - since he'd begun working and the U.A. students had moved to dorms, he hadn't been able to see Ojiro or Shinsou for quite some time, and he missed his friends. It would also be nice to see Iida if he could, and he couldn't deny a small longing to see Uraraka - Izuku spent more time thinking of the brunette than he cared to admit.

As expected of U.A., the library was vast. A part of him wanted to go examine the books - maybe he could ask Nezu's permission later. Before he could get very far into the library, however, a familiar voice stopped him.

"Hey there, Listener, are you lost?"

Izuku turned to blink at the voice hero Present Mic, a man he only knew from his radio show and an inordinately large amount of internet stalking - completely for analysis purposes, or course.

"Y-You're - I mean…" Izuku stuttered, physically forcing himself not to stutter.

The pro-hero feigned an ignorant, friendly persona, but Izuku felt the man's calculating gaze keenly. Izuku halfway wished Tsukauchi had let him wear his uniform, then he would have looked at least slightly credible instead of a trash gremlin. Sometimes he wanted to curse the amount of overly perceptive people in his life - if his analysis was accurate, Present Mic was scary smart.

And waiting for an answer. Izuku coughed, mentally shaking himself. "Sorry about that, I've just been a fan for a long time. I'm Officer Midoriya, I'm currently escorting someone who's in a meeting with Principal Nezu at the moment. I was given his permission to be here while they… negotiate," Izuku said, fumbling to pull out his badge.

Present Mic visibly relaxed, his smile growing in excitement. "You're Shota's kid! And Tsukauchi's! Whenever they get the chance, they both brag about you like you would not believe! I've wanted to meet you for a while, just call me Yamada."

"N-nice to meet you," Izuku said, trying his best not to look starstruck as he shook the man's hand.

"I've got a meeting to go to, but I'd love to chat with you sometime, Midoriya. Good luck with the person you're escorting," Mic said, waving.

The whole encounter felt a little surreal. Izuku made it into the library feeling a little dazed, but he was almost immediately greeted by a familiar face. "Ojiro!"

Head snapping up, the blond smiled at Izuku. "Midoriya, what are you doing here?"

"I'm acting as police escort right now, my charge is meeting with Nezu."

"Police escort?" asked Hagakure, startling Izuku, though he did his best not to show it. She was sitting behind a pile of books, so Izuku hadn't noticed her. Maybe he should analyze her next… "I thought you were an EMT?" she continued.

"I'm actually a certified field medic not," Izuku said, running a hand through his hair, "but that's kind of a side thing I do. I've recently finished the certifications to become a police officer."

"Impressive," said a nearby girl. "Congratulations, Midoriya. I don't believe we've officially met, I'm Yaoyorozu Momo."

"It's nice to see you all again. So what are you working on?"

"We're supposed to be coming up with ultimate moves," Ojiro said. "What I've come up with so far just isn't cutting it."

Izuku tapped the table. "How much of your body weight can your tail support without straining it?"

"All of it, it's just uncomfortable because physiologically my tail isn't meant to be used that way."

The tapping grew faster, the staccato percussion matching the speed of Izuku's thoughts. "Okay, hear me out…"

He ended up helping each of them, setting them onto previously unconsidered paths. As he was talking over a multitude of options over with Yaoyorozu, a few other students wandered over. Izuku didn't mind, he'd want to gauge his rapid analysis skills for a while. Their lunch period was impending when a voice utterly demolished his concentration.

"Midoriya, what are you doing here?"

Freezing, Izuku almost didn't want to turn around. Suddenly he felt kind of queasy and his heart was racing. Sure enough, when he turned around he found Uraraka bouncing toward him with Iida furiously whispering that it was unsafe to run in libraries as he followed.

Somehow swallowing was incredibly difficult. "H-hi, Uraraka, Iida."

"Uraraka, you know running is not permitted outside of training areas," Iida scolded, his arms chopping the air.

"Lighten up, Iida, Midoriya's here!" the girl exclaimed.

"It is nice to see you again, Midoriya. Congratulations on being inducted as an officer, as well. Uraraka and I wished to be at the ceremony, but my parents were busy that day, and as such I looked after my brother's wellbeing. Uraraka kindly offered to help me ensure that Tensei only has the best care," Iida said, tearing up a bit.

"He was in perfectly good shape," Uraraka stage-whispered to Izuku. "I think Iida's parents mainly wanted him to check in on Tensei - he's actually gotten really good in his wheelchair. We raced around the house when Tenya wasn't looking. It was even more fun when I used my quirk on Tensei!"

"Which is completely inappropriate outside of training grounds," Iida said severely. "Anyway, what _are_ you doing here, Midoriya? And in such casual clothes as well."

"I'm acting as a police escort right now, but I'm in plainclothes so I don't draw attention to myself," Izuku explained. "My charge is with your principal right now, so Nezu told me I could come here. Actually, while you're all here, can I ask you all a favor?"

It was perfect - Makoto wanted between three and five students to interview from the hero course, and these five had been largely overlooked in the Sports Festival. Their voices would be a new facet of the narrative, and Izuku explained as much to the group. They all agreed, and Izuku was warmed by it. For whatever reason, he knew those five needed this opportunity.

Their lunch period rolled around, and students began filing out of the library. That was his cue to go see how negotiations were going between Nezu and Makoto, but he couldn't stop himself from glancing at Uraraka. He felt nervous and excited and guilty, and he didn't know when he would be able to see her again.

As she packed up to go, Izuku couldn't stop himself from tapping her shoulder. "Uraraka, could I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure!"

The library was empty after Iida promised to save her a seat in the cafeteria. More specifically, it was empty aside from Uraraka, Izuku, and his pounding heart.

"What did you need, Midoriya?"

Just her voice made Izuku's emotions intensify. He knew his face was bright red when he stammered, "Would you be willing to go out for boba tea with me tonight?"

Uraraka blinked a few times before blushing wildly herself. "What?"

"I just… There was something I wanted to talk to you about in private, but you have to get to lunch, and I'm still technically on the clock, but I get off soon after you're done with school, so I thought-"

"Oh, you don't have to explain yourself," Uraraka said, waving her hands frantically as her cheeks darkened. "I was just caught off guard, that's all. And I would love to go get boba tea with you."

"O-okay. I'll see you then," Izuku said, faltering a bit. "Have a nice day." With that, he bowed deeply before scurrying away.

As he put distance between himself and Uraraka, Izuku couldn't repress his muttering - this time mostly berating himself for the atrocity of whatever _that_ had just been.

"Did I seriously just bow? I may as well have shook her hand and offered her some candy," Izuku fretted, drumming his fingers on his thigh. He was so focused on his own stupidity that he didn't see the other person in the hallway until he'd walked directly into them, spilling a mass of papers all over the floor.

"Sorry," Izuku said, immediately falling to his knees to begin collecting papers.

"Oh, thank you, my boy," said a deep voice. "I suppose I wasn't watching where I was going."

Izuku swallowed thickly before looking up into the face of All Might. The man was in his smaller form, his true form, apparently, and Izuku's blood felt frozen in his veins.

He was unable to move, rooted in place for a few, painfully long moments. But by the grace of some higher power, he mumbled, "I'm sorry, it was my fault."

Something shifted in All Might's eyes - sympathy, recognition, Izuku wasn't sure. "Are you-"

"Sorry again, I've got a meeting," Izuku blurted, thrusting the papers into the man's hands before practically sprinting down the hallway. Iida would be horrified, but Izuku couldn't find it in himself to care.

When he got to Nezu's office, he was distracted by his panic when he was almost taken out by the door flying open. An overly excited Makoto appeared, grabbing Izuku by the shoulders and shaking him wildly. "You're a miracle worker, Midoriya. I'm taking you out for lunch as a thank you."

Feeling like he was dangerously close to a concussion, Izuku grabbed her forearms, halting the woman. "What are you talking about?"

"I have an interview with All Might on Friday! No one ever gets them on such short notice! And it's because of you! Why didn't you tell me you knew most of the staff here already?" Makoto asked, cocking her head at him.

"It didn't seem relevant?" Izuku squeaked.

"I didn't seem relevant?" she echoed in disbelief. "Kid, I don't know who all you know, but you've got _connections._ My brother is one of those, but you are known and _liked_ by Nezu himself! Nezu never actually likes anyone, he just enjoys manipulating people! I don't care if you're actually my brother's kid, I'm now your adoptive aunt, it's official."

Izuku spluttered as she slung an arm over his shoulders. Desperate to change the subject. Izuku said, "I have a list of students that agreed to being interviewed."

Seeing the list, Makoto's smile impossibly grew. "Interesting, I can make this work. Where do you want to go for lunch?"

Biting his lip, Izuku referred her to one of his favorite restaurants within walking distance. Once they were on their way on a sparsely populated road, she levelled him with a glance. "Okay, tell me the scoop, Midoriya, what do you know about Endeavor?"

"First I need you to promise that you'll keep all of this a secret unless I either give you the okay to go public, or I die in a suspicious Arson case," Izuku said adamantly.

"Now I'm even more intrigued. You have my word, Midoriya. I may be a hungry young reporter, but I know we can't just go around defaming top heroes."

"Okay, now I've had some suspicions for a while…"

* * *

 **A/N: First of all, I'm out of police officers to show analysis for, at least for now. Do you guys enjoy Izuku's analysis? If so, who else should I write analyses for?**

 **I also wanted to go over a few things. First of all, I've seen a lot of people get really excited that we're getting to the prologue. We are, but not as soon as you're all thinking. The Overhaul arc is just going to be Izuku's first undercover mission, whereas the prologue takes place after Izuku is a full detective and when Class 1-A (technically 3-A at this point) are in the beginning of their third year. That means we're going to have a two-year time skip after this arc. It's a different organization that Izuku is dealing with, one that I just kind of made up. I'm sure I'll have a lot of Kit's input for that.**

 **Secondly, as much as I love a good Endeavor bashing, I can't straight up demolish him without severe societal repercussions. However, while he won't have public scorn, he's going to have to deal with some stuff. The most important thing is that Shoto will be saved.**

 **Lastly, I've gotten a LOT of comments recently asking if the chapters are shorter lately. No, they are not. There are a few exceptions, but most of my chapters are between two and three thousand words. That's my goal, that's what I have to offer. I've really been astounded and impressed by how much support I've had for this story, but bruh. Even if my chapters are getting shorter, I try to write for quality, not quantity.**

 **On a brighter note, I know I've mentioned my coming story. I intended to have at least the first chapter by now, but for once I think I'm going to take my time, do some story planning and writing ahead. I'm really excited about it though, and Kit keeps giving me fabulous ideas. Be prepared to see a lot of Aizawa, because at least in the beginning he's the central character.**

 **As always, let me know what you guys think! What's Izuku's plan to deal with Endeavor? Are other characters from the Vigilantes comic going to make an appearance? Is Naomasa going to kill his sister for corrupting sweet, little Midoriya? Let's find out!**


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

"So let me get this straight," Makoto said, jabbing her chopsticks at him. "Endeavor is an abusive piece of crap, and you… You don't want to expose him and get his butt thrown in jail?"

"That would hurt more than it helps," Izuku said seriously. "Endeavor is the number two hero - people may not like him, but they trust him to fight the fights that they can't."

"But aren't heroes supposed to be people to look up to?" she demanded. "Shouldn't they have morals?"

"Ideally, yes. But if you look back at any civilization, I can tell you with almost certainty that their heroes weren't great people. They're narcissistic, they usually don't care about other people, or at least not as much as we think they should, and they're selfish. People don't necessarily care if a hero is motivated by people in distress or the desire to be the top hero. The only thing that separates them from the villain is perspective," Izuku said, they words tinged with weariness. "But does it really matter why the hero is fighting those fights if lives are saved? Does it change the fact that those civilians get to live another day?"

Blinking at the boy, Makoto asked, "Hold up, where did this jaded child come from? Are you the same Midoriya Izuku I met this morning?"

"I want to believe in morally straight heroes just as much as anyone," Izuku defended. "But I also need to be realistic about it. Heroes are human too. They have emotions, they make mistakes. Expecting them to be anything else is unhealthy for them and us. That doesn't mean we shouldn't expect more from them, but idolizing them the way we do is setting society up for failure one way or another. If everything good in this world is supposed to come from heroes, what happens when they don't measure up?"

Makoto opened and closed her mouth a few times, her mind clearly racing. "Dang, kid. Do you take philosophy classes in your spare time?"

"I've just thought about this a _lot_ over the past year," Izuku said. "It kills me to know that Endeavor - and probably other heroes as well - are getting away with things like this. I don't want to condone it, but if we do things right, Endeavor will pay in another way."

"I see where you're coming from now, and as much as I hate it, I think this might be the right way to go. Unfortunately, Endeavor is smart - if he weren't I'd be a lot more useful. Manipulating stupidly vain heroes is my specialty after dealing with Captain Celebrity for so long."

The serious conversation dropped off immediately as Izuku's eyes comically widened. Almost reverently he breathed, "You worked with Captain Celebrity?"

"Yes, and he was the most vain, pigheaded man I've ever met," Makoto said disdainfully.

"Tell me everything."

"I will," Makoto said with a wicked grin, "if you tell me about this Uraraka girl that Saito has told me so much about."

Izuku visibly shrank into himself. "So, I think the first step in investigating Endeavor will be-"

"No, you don't get to dodge the question. Is she or is she not the Uraraka Ochako that is on my list of students to interview?"

"She is," Izuku said slowly, painfully.

"So a hero student then? You're certainly ambitious," Makoto said, wiggling her eyebrows. "Looking for someone with a nice paycheck? If she's good enough, then-"

"No!" Izuku said, scandalized. "I would like her regardless of her wanting to be a hero! She's kind, and smart, and pretty."

It took a moment for his words to sink in, but when Izuku realized what he'd said, he flushed bright red, sinking into himself.

"That's so pure, Makoto said, smirking. "What's your plan of attack for the pretty, smart, kind Uraraka? Send her flowers? A necklace, perhaps?"

"I… I asked her to get boba tea with me tonight after my shift."

"You move fast! I'm impressed, Midoriya. I was afraid you would end up chronically single like my dear brother. But eat quickly, we're going shopping."

"What? Do you think we need disguises to gather information?" Izuku asked before shovelling rice into his face.

"No, we've got all week to gather evidence. We only have a few hours to get you date-ready. I'm assuming that the rest of your closet looks somewhat similar to this, which is unacceptable. Luckily Saito and Sasaki have their lunch breaks soon, so they can help us find something more appropriate," she said, fingers flying across the screen of her phone.

Izuku paled. "No, they can't know about-"

"Too late," Makoto sang, grinning as she triumphantly held up her phone. "The text has been sent. I bet you that one of them will reply within the next five minutes."

"This is a nightmare," Izuku groaned. "At least until we hear from one of them can we focus on the real problem at hand?"

"I would argue that your outfit _is_ a real problem, but I understand what you mean. So, to investigate our target, we're got going to want to stray too far into illegal territory - if he ever found out about this, Naomasa would kill us both. The problem is that our man is most likely good at hiding what needs to be hidden. Also, we need irrefutable evidence or we're going to to have a rather rough future ahead of us. We have probably until Friday until Naomasa starts to get suspicious, so-"

Makoto cut off as the sound of sirens approached. A wicked grin spread over her face as Izuku felt his soul depart from his body. When the flashing lights were visible and his worst fears were confirmed, Izuku abruptly stood up, desperately searching for alternative escape routes. "I… uh, need to use the restroom."

The few other inhabitants of the restaurant looked worried and a little suspicious of him. He hadn't made it far when the door opened and a familiar voice sang, "Oh little Midoriyaaaa-"

Panicked, Izuku ducked into the first place he found, but before he could make it very far down the hallway and find an exit, he was forcibly pinned to the wall with a pair of handcuffs slapped onto his wrists. A small part of his mind wondered if this was how criminals felt when they were arrested - embarrassed, terrified, uncertain. Mostly, though, Izuku was impressed at the speed Saito was able to cuff his squirming form. The station had competitions, but she may have just broken her own record.

What seemed like moments later found Izuku in a mall dressing room while three women pushed more clothing under the curtain. He estimated that he was wearing the seventeenth outfit they had forced him to try on, and they weren't going to like it. As per usual, he couldn't manage to tie his tie correctly, so it looked particularly atrocious with the ghastly polo shirt with lime green polka dots. Even he knew it was a rather unfortunate ensemble, one that Saito immediately vetoed.

"We're just going to get boba, is a tie really necessary?" Izuku complained.

Makoto stared at him with an intensity that was frankly terrifying. She squinted at him before turning around abruptly, disappearing among the clothing racks. Saito and Sasaki glanced knowingly at each other with smug smiles that made Izuku even more nervous.

After a few minutes Makoto emerged triumphant, lobbing a bundle of clothes at his head. "Leave the button-up undone over the t-shirt."

Rubbing at the indent of a button on his forehead, Izuku drew the curtain, happy to get out of the terrible outfit. He was even more excited when he saw the t-shirt Makoto had thrown: a new, extremely soft shirt that featured Edgeshot across it. Izuku eagerly pulled the shirt on, and the coordinating button-down on top of it. That paired with tighter jeans than he usually word along with his red shoes made him feel… confident. A little more put together as well. Before he opened the curtain, Izuku even found himself running his fingers through his hair in an effort to make it even a bit less wild.

When he pulled the curtain open, Saito whistled lowly. "I will pay for that myself, Little Midoriya. Both shirts are actually the right size, and they still fit your personality. That's the one."

They made him wear it out of the store after Saito paid for it all - though it was an impressive fight to see who would pay. They also held the Save My Fanny Pack hostage, claiming that it ruined his whole look. Izuku felt slightly naked without it, but he couldn't change their minds without making himself late. By the time they left, it was almost time for his dat- for his meeting with Uraraka, so Saito and Sasaki swung by the station so he could clock out before they dropped him off in front of UA's gates.

His heart was pounding in his chest, but Izuku only had to venture a few feet onto the campus before he spotted her pacing around the courtyard. He waved, and both of their faces were abnormally red as they approached one another.

"Y-you look really nice," he stammered.

"Thanks, so do you," Uraraka said, hands fiddling with the bottom of her shirt. They stood there for a few extended moments, valiantly not making eye contact until Uraraka said, "Should we get going?"

"Oh! Oh yeah, we're… We can head over there now, I hope walking is okay," Izuku said, the words a bit rushed.

He'd memorized the route to the cafe last night thanks to the help of the internet, so Izuku walked confidently. Once he asked how training for the ultimate moves was going, the tension melted away, allowing them to settle into a comfortable conversation. A part of him felt like he was being watched, but Izuku couldn't pinpoint anyone suspicious - he was probably just nervous.

Ordering and paying for the boba was an easy process, the trick was getting it to where Uraraka was sitting without tripping or spilling anything. When he finally made it over to her, his hands were shaking slightly from anxiety. "Here you go."

"Thanks," she said with a strained smile.

In sync they took a sip, and when it stayed silent between them they took another. And another. Then, at the same time, they began.

"Midoriya, I have to-"

"Uraraka, I have something-"

They both cut off with a laugh and said at the exact same time, "Sorry, you go first."

Awkwardly adjusting his shirt sleeve, Izuku said, "Really, you go first."

"Oh, um… Midoriya, I like you," Uraraka said, face pink as she wasn't quite able to meet his eyes. "I think you're really interesting, and I'm flattered that you asked me on this date! I just… I'm in the hero course, and I need to focus on that right now. I'm so sorry, I didn't want to hurt your feelings, but I also didn't want to lead you on!"

Uraraka was clearly plagued with panic and regret, but Izuku wildly shook his head. "No, not at all! I actually wanted to say something similar - I need to focus on becoming a detective before I think about anything like a relationship, and I'm being sent on a long-term undercover mission soon, so I wouldn't be able to see you or talk to you, which wouldn't be fair, and I probably shouldn't have told you that for legal reasons, but Detective Tsukauchi said…" he trailed off, forcibly stopping himself. "Sorry about the muttering, I got the habit under control a while ago. It only seems to be a problem when I'm around you. Not that that's a bad thing! I, uh… I'll shut up now."

The girl across from him searched his face intently. "Do you really mean it?"

"We're both young, romance can come later. But the sooner I become a detective, the more people I'll be able to help. I've got a goal, and I won't give up on it," he said, clenching his fist and feeling vaguely like an anime protagonist. "I've been given an opportunity I can't pass up."

"That's exactly how I feel about U.A.," she confessed with a smile.

"Can we still be friends, though?" Izuku asked hesitantly. "Like, I'll text you when I'm not undercover and stuff, and when we've both reached our goals we can… see what happens?" He awkwardly gestured between the two of them, blushing profusely.

"Sure," Uraraka squeaked, her face equally red. "It will be like a competition, who will reach their goal first?"

"You're on," Izuku said with a grin. The conversation fell into a comfortable pater once again until it was time for Uraraka to get back to the school.

He was almost sad to drop her off at the gates, but they swore to make plans together again soon.

Izuku's mind was full as he found his way down the street - things had gone far better with Uraraka than he could have ever hoped, and he could dedicate all of his energy to saving Todoroki. Everything was-

"What was that?"

No, please, don't let it be-

"Seriously, Little Midoriya? After all the effort we put in?" Saito demanded, storming down the street.

Izuku turned to face the three approaching women, making sure to move backwards to keep some distance between them. "We both have dreams, this made the most sense."

"You couldn't divide your attention for her?" Sasaki asked, wings fluttering angrily. "You just friendzone her and walk away?"

"It was mutual!" he said, surreptitiously glancing around for some escape route. "And were you three spying on me? Don't you have jobs to do?"

Makoto shrugged, but it was clearly the wrong thing to say. The look in the officers' eyes could only mean bad things, so Izuku turned on his heel and sprinted away from the women as fast as his body allowed. The whole while Saito and Sasaki yelled their justifications for the invasion of his privacy, and something about him and Uraraka having cute babies together.

* * *

 _Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis_

 _Name: All Might (civilian name unknown)_

 _Age: Unknown_

 _Height: 220 cm (7'2")_

 _Occupation: Hero_

 _Physical Description: [redacted]_

 _Personality: [redacted]_

 _Quirk: [redacted]_

 _Notes: For both security and personal reasons, this entry has been largely removed._

* * *

 **A/N: Hello my lovely readers, I am here! This chapter in particular was a little harder for me to write just content wise, and that was in part because my maternal grandmother just passed away. She had pretty severe Alzheimer's, and my family and I moved when I was in high school so we could take care of her, so it hit me pretty hard. Once again, thank you all for being such kind, patient readers! Your comments always encourage me.**

 **I realize that this chapter is a bit all over the place. You can thank my Medieval Lit class for the whole "what qualifies as a hero" rant that Izuku goes on at the beginning. We had a very similar discussion in that class, and I was throwing down on behalf of my morally ambiguous children. Grettir, sweetie, you'll always be a hero in my heart. But seriously, though, I still think that Endeavor is a piece of trash for the treatment he's given his family, but exposing the number two hero would topple the BNHA society. It would be a mess, so he's going to have to pay in other ways.**

 **You can thank Kit for most of the antics the officers and Makoto pull. If she had any say in it, there would have been a lot more - some hiding in bushes, disguising themselves as waiters, you know, all the great tropes. I also need to apologize to the people who are here for IzuOcha. This is turning into a very slow burn, I know, and here I finally give you a taste of it before ripping it away from you. I am aware that it's a jerk move, Kit already yelled at me. But I feel that this is very in character for both of them, and I didn't want to cheat. I've said before, once I get done with the Overhaul arc we're going to have a pretty drastic time skip to where the prologue comes in. I didn't want to cheat you all from seeing their relationship progress, and it would be kind of jarring to go from their first date directly to being a year or so into a committed relationship.**

 **I know I say this a lot, but thank you all for sticking with me this long. Twenty-six chapters is no joke. I was doing some research for an essay, and Detective Midoriya is officially in the average book length range. I have emotions about this, but I don't know what to name those emotions. But it would have never made it this far without all of your support and comments, so thank you! (Also, kudos to those of you that caught the Arson reference in my last chapter.)**


	27. Chapter 27

Izuku's hands gripped the binder tightly as he waited in Nezu's office with Makoto next to him. Nerves twisted his stomach in knots. This would end well - it had to.

When the door opened he was sure he was going to have a heart attack right then and there. Nezu strolled in with a cold Todoroki in tow. It hurt Izuku to see the guarded look back in his eyes, but when the boy saw Izuku, the look flickered from wariness to confusion. "Midoriya? What are you doing here?"

"If you'll all follow me, there's a private conference room that may be a more appropriate setting for this discussion," Nezu said pleasantly. The group wordlessly followed, staying silent until the principal left.

"So what's going on, Midoriya? Who's this?"

"This is Tsukauchi Makoto, she's a friend," Izuku said quickly. "I brought you here because… because you don't deserve to suffer anymore, Todoroki. And I have a way out for you."

"A way out?" His voice was flat, like he couldn't bring himself to consider, to hope.

"Do you know what emancipation is? Basically you are able to be your own guardian, make your own decisions. If you were emancipated, you would get to choose how involved your father is in your life. U.A. offers scholarships for exemplary students, and you would be able to live in the dorms. We're already having an officer monitor the treatment of your mother, and your older siblings are adults and they have the means to protect themselves," Izuku said. Nerves were eating at him as the heterochromatic boy just stared at Izuku. He'd kept some semblance of calm until this point, but the words seemed to catch on one another when he said, "And if you needed or wanted, you could come live with me and my mom. We have extra rooms…"

He couldn't help but shift uncomfortably in his chair as Todoroki just stared at him, face frozen in an emotionless mask. He didn't know what more to say, but Makoto stepped in.

"This is a lot to deal with all at once, isn't it?" She spoke more gently than Izuku had ever heard, eyes less intense than usual. "If you'd like, we'll explain the whole procedure to you, and answer any questions you might have. This is going to go whatever way you decide. If you want us to, we'll destroy this evidence and pretend today never happened."

Todoroki intently listened to every word that they spoke, hints of emotions flickering through his eyes. Once they finished explaining, he stared at the table for a few tense moments before raising his eyes to stare down Izuku. "You're sure this will work?"

"Not a hundred percent, but I really believe it's the best chance we've got. You deserve to be free, Todoroki."

He stared at Izuku with those mismatched eyes just a moment longer before saying, "I'm trusting you, Midoriya. If we go down, we go down together."

Hearing this, Izuku smiled impossibly brightly. "No, you mean we're on our way to a healthier, happier life. I didn't know how messed up my life was until I escaped it, so now it's your turn."

Makoto narrowed her eyes. The longer she spent around Little Midoriya, the more questions she had. Someone had hurt him, and one day she would get answers one way or another. Heaven help the fool that hurt that child - but that was if the knowledge was revealed to Naomasa and the rest of the station. Makoto was _going_ to find out, and she was going to subtly and systematically destroy whatever public persona those people possessed. Once she was finished with Endeavor, naturally.

At that very moment, Nezu popped into the room. "Endeavor is on his way over to discuss his son's schooling. Up to this point he didn't allow young Todoroki to live in the dorms, so I insinuated that I wished to discuss the issue with him in person. Prepare yourselves."

"I thought you only told Makoto," Todoroki said, somewhere between panicking and accusing.

"I did! I just asked Nezu if I could see you, and he was the one that did all of this. I actually wasn't sure how I was going to contact Endeavor, I was maybe going to visit his agency tomorrow," Izuku said, holding his hands up. "No matter what I do, there are some things that Nezu just knows."

"And I am more unsettled than ever," Makoto said brightly. "Midoriya, please never get on the principal's bad side. Naomasa would be devastated if you disappeared one day."

They heard the man before they saw him, footsteps heavy with the sense of importance that came with being a top hero. He appeared in the doorway in all of his blazing glory. As a child, Izuku would have been thrilled beyond words, but now he thought that the hero's whole appearance was harsh and overdone. Endeavor searched the room, his face twisting into an expression of annoyance when he noticed Izuku.

"What are you doing here, child?"

He had to steel himself, but Izuku met the man's gaze, refusing to waver. "I'm here to intervene on behalf of your son."

Moments earlier, Endeavor's eyes had dismissed Todoroki, but now his eyes narrowed at his son. "Shoto, explain this nonsense."

Todoroki straightened, face impassive despite the panic that simmered under the surface. Before he could say anything, though, Makoto interjected, "I would recommend you sit down, Endeavor. And I would assume that Principal Nezu wouldn't approve of his conference room being set ablaze, so I suggest you extinguish yourself."

"I'll just be in the other room now," Nezu said, merrily closing the door behind him.

"What is this?" Endeavor demanded, eyes scanning the room.

"If you want to stand while we discuss things, that's fine," Makoto shrugged before sliding the binder across the table to Endeavor. "We so lovingly compiled this just for you."

Rolling his eyes, the hero begrudgingly sat down, flipping through the first few pages before he leveled a glare at Izuku. "Where did you get this?"

"That's not important, and don't bother burning it. We have plenty more copies if we need them. You can keep looking through it or not, but rest assured that everything in there is something that you wouldn't want the public to know. If anything happens to anyone in this room that feels like a threat, we have people who will release whatever they feel is appropriate," Izuku said with more confidence than he felt.

The man's flames went out, though the room felt at least ten degrees hotter from the intensity of the man's glare. "What do you want?"

"We're so glad you asked," Makoto said with the grin of the cat that caught the canary. "We've got some very important documents ready that will emancipate your son. You will have no rights or responsibility towards him. Any interactions with him, any financial support will be Shoto's terms The same goes with your older children, and people will be checking in regularly to ensure that your wife is receiving the care that she needs."

Endeavor continued skimming through the binder, his jaw clenching more and more tightly with each page. Izuku wouldn't say that he looked defeated, necessarily, but he had accepted the inevitability of the situation. Accepting the paperwork from Makoto, he asked stonily, "And how am I supposed to explain this to the public?"

"You decided your son deserved the opportunity to make his own way in the world of heroics. He needed to step outside of your shadow," Izuku said coldly. "Hopefully in the meantime you'll gain an actual sense of morality."

Endeavor signed the paperwork with enough force to shatter the pen before rising from the table. "When you decide to come crawling back, Shoto, there will be hell to pay for this impudence."

"He won't need to come back," Izuku said stubbornly.

"You may have had accomplices, but this whole situation stinks of you, quirkless child. One day reality will catch up with you, and you will learn your place in society: an insignificant insect to be crushed underfoot."

Makoto blinked. "That would sound a lot more threatening if you weren't currently being blackmailed by a so-called 'insect.'"

As if on cue, Nezu appeared to usher out the growling Endeavor. "Thank you for coming on such short notice, Mr. Todoroki. We need this room soon, so if you'd kindly be on your way…"

Endeavor left, led by Nezu as Todoroki stared straight ahead, eyes unseeing. "I don't have to go home again. But… I don't have a home."

"That's not true, Todoroki. Maybe one of your siblings will invite you to live with them, but as long as you want it there's a spare room at my house waiting for you," Izuku said earnestly. "You could even come over for dinner tonight if you wanted."

He nodded numbly and allowed Izuku to lead the way. It was just in time, too, because Izuku had the sudden, visceral need to flee. He had just confronted the Number Two hero, directly putting his life in the line of fire, and he was acutely aware that the Number One hero was due any minute now for his interview with Makoto.

In true Nezu fashion, the principal didn't allow Izuku to talk to him, he merely waved the boy on, saying, "I'll make a note of young Todoroki's whereabouts to his teachers."

Nodding thanks, Izuku hurried out of the school, leftover tension spurring him on more quickly. Eventually, though, he was able to slow down, much to Todoroki's relief. And like at the training camp, both boys found it easier to talk than usually. They spoke about everything and nothing at the same time, each unwilling or simply unable to address the real issues at hand. But this also came with the comfort of knowing that there was time. There was time to worry about what did happen, what didn't happen, or what might happen. And in this moment, there was time to not worry about anything at all.

Todoroki wasn't sure what to expect from this whole situation, but in his wildest dreams he couldn't have expected this. He didn't know what it meant to come to a warm house with freshly made cold soba and a teary mother figure waiting for him. He felt awkward and the conversation was stinted, especially whenever Mrs. Midoriya began crying. But at the end of it all the Midoriyas showed him the bedroom that was his. It was smaller than he was used to and filled with secondhand items, which Izuku and Inko repeatedly apologized for, promising that they could replace anything and everything with things he picked himself. An alien warmth filled his chest, and Todoroki found himself saying, "Don't worry, it's perfect."

Meanwhile, however, Shinsou Hitoshi sat in his bedroom, idly flipping through a binder. "This is some spicy stuff," he said to the absurdly fluffy cat lounging across his bed. "I kind of want Endeavor to mess up so I can watch him crash and burn."

 _Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis_

 _Name: Bakugou Katsuki "Kacchan"_

 _Age: 16_

 _Height: 172 cm (5'8")_

 _Occupation: Hero Student_

 _Physical Description: Kacchan has spiky blond hair and red eyes. He's fairly muscular, though not as bulky as some._

 _Personality: Kacchan has a personality almost as explosive as his quirk. [The rest has been redacted for his personal safety.]_

 _Quirk: "Explosion" or "Explosive Sweat." Kacchan sweats something similar to nitroglycerin, and he can detonate that sweat via his hands. It seems he can only activate explosions through his hands. His explosion leaves behind a sweet smell, almost like burnt sugar._

 _Notes: [Redacted]_

 **A/N: Hey everyone _, I'm alive!_ I know it's been forever since the last chapter, and this one is shorter than usual. This isn't going to be the norm, I promise. I've been struggling a lot with some residual grief, but I'm also a senior in college with two jobs, and something had to be put on the back burner for a while. I can't promise anything major anytime soon, but I just have to make it through finals, and then I get a month off of school. I want to thank each of you that left a kind comment last chapter, I appreciate each of you for that. **

**On a brighter note, in the next chapter Izuku is going undercover! Things are getting moving! I also got a comment last chapter that apparently someone made a tvtropes page for Detective Midoriya! I'm so frickin proud rn guys, I don't even know how to process it! I also may have mentioned this to Kit, along with the fact that several people have left comments about making fanart for this fic. She says she's waiting for it, and I'm the meantime she's coming up with even more terrible puns. Prepare yourselves. Leave a comment, let me know what you think, it makes my day brighter!**

 **-Rogue**

 **Edit: Sorry for the multiple emails, I'm posting from my phone and apparently this website hates me.**


	28. Chapter 28

Izuku and Todoroki-Shoto, now, just Shoto-talked and texted as much as they could, but Todoroki had school, and police work was only getting more demanding by the day. They were finding an odd friendship that neither knew quite what to do with, but each would defend it, and the other person, with their life.

But Izuku couldn't rest easy, there was too much hanging over his head. They had gotten all of Endeavor's paperwork filed and taken care of. With a few calls to the right people, it was processed and Shoto was officially free. Now Izuku was able to direct his worry to the mountain of other things he frequently concerned himself with.

Knowing that he was potentially going undercover, Izuku threw his whole being into his efforts. His analyses were better than ever. He spent longer training than ever before, gaining a proficiency with the katana that was frankly shocking. There was this mysterious drive to get better, to _do_ better. It was like he could feel someone calling out to him in desperation.

That said, Izuku had fully expected the call when the time came, but he still found himself surprised and terrified when it was staring him in the face. He was called into Detective Tsukauchi's office unexpectedly one day, and he immediately knew what was going on.

"Have a seat, Midoriya, you're going to be here for a while." Tsuramagae said in his trademark calm manner.

"It's nice to see you again, Chief," Izuku said faintly. "What can I do for you today?"

"We have a _ruff-_ quest for you, Midoriya," he said, making steady eye-contact. "Before we go into detail, rest assured that you are not required to say yes to this. Personally, I didn't want to ask you this, but here we are. Detective Tsukauchi has been working with the case, so he'll explain the issue."

The detective was sitting rigidly in his chair, discomfort radiating off of him. "It has been decided," he said woodenly, "that you would make a good candidate to go undercover on one of our most dangerous ongoing investigations. The subject at hand is the Shie Hassaikai, one of the most prolific branches of the Yakuza. We don't know very much about them or their motives, but this man is their leader, a man named Overshaul."

Izuku felt a chill run down his spine as he looked at the photo of a man with piercing golden eyes and a plague mask.

"If you accept the role, you will be integrated into the Shie Hassaikai to learn as much as you can about them and their plans for the future. This is incredibly dangerous. If you are found out, you will almost definitely die."

He couldn't look away from the photograph. Something about the man felt oppressively sinister, but it also solidified his resolve somehow. Izuku could tell from the look in Detective Tsukauchi's eyes that he was urging Izuku to decline the proposition, say no and continue on like normal.

But he couldn't. Meeting Tsuramagae's eyes, he unflinchingly said, "I accept. I'll do it."

"Don't feel rushed into it, Midoriya," Tsukauchi said a bit desperately. "You're not being pressured to go."

"I know, Detective," Izuku said. "But I don't think I can live with myself if I decide not to go."

" _Paw-_ fect, Midoriya," Tsuragamae said with a sage nod. "Preparations will begin tomorrow.

Tsukauchi rose from his chair. "I'll see you out, Chief. Midoriya, you stay here. I need a word."

Izuku nodded, swallowing heavily. This conversation wasn't going to be a pleasant one.

He could hear Tsukauchi escort the chief away, but it was the sound of the detective coming back that Izuku dreaded. It came too soon, and the detective's face was almost terrifyingly blank.

Naomasa stared down Izuku, eyes searching. He felt like his very soul was being examined before the detective said, "I understand I won't be able to change your mind, Midoriya."

"No, sir."

"You _will_ go by the books on this one," the detective said vehemently. "You won't overstep your bounds or make rash decisions, and if you've harmed yourself, intentionally or accidentally, I _will_ put you on meter maid duty for months."

"Understood, Detective," Izuku said seriously.

Inko cried when Izuku told her the news that night, and he found himself inundated with people doing what they could to prepare him. Valiant called every contact he knew that had anything to do with sword fighting to help train Izuku. Dr. Meiji took him through analysis drills, making him assess quirks more accurately with less and less time.

The fanny pack was seriously scrutinized. The officers completely took it apart, deciding what could stay, what should be added, and so on. Some of them (Saito) took it upon themselves to periodically ambush Izuku to "prepare him for anything."

Izuku was given every scrap of information on Overhaul that the police possessed, though he suspected that there was something the heroes weren't sharing. He just couldn't bring himself to wholly trust Sir Nighteye, no matter what he did.

When the Stain incident had happened, his name had been released, but his connection with the police had not. With the media's focus on heroes, he had already largely been forgotten. It would be fairly simple to build an underground persona for himself. It sounded perfectly believable that a quirkless teenager would turn villain, almost more believable than one joining the police force.

They needed a disguise for him that he could maintain for an indeterminate amount of time. It came in handy that he was so plain-looking for once. If they could just give him a few temporary distinguishing characteristics, he would largely be invisible.

First came a haircut, which Saito and Sasaki argued over for _hours._ Saito wanted a mohawk, Sasaki wanted a buzz cut, and Izuku decided that he officially no longer trusted either of them. Eventually the three of them compromised on an undercut. Saito happily pointed out that the top was long enough to wear in a man bun if he wanted to, and it left Izuku wondering why she had been on the committee for choosing his clothes to take Uraraka out. On the bright side, the hairdresser was very kind, showing him how to style his hair with pomade so it didn't hang in his face.

When it was all done, Izuku was a little unsettled. He looked… older. His face didn't feel so round anymore, and with his hair up it highlighted the recent scar that ran through his eyebrow.

A new wardrobe was called for. Izuku jokingly suggested they find some t-shirts that simply said "villain" but it was swiftly and mercilessly shot down. He was also denied his jeans, cargo shorts, and worst of all, his red shoes.

"They're your trademark shoes, if anything is going to get you recognized, those would," Nakamura said, ripping the high tops out of his hands. "Go change, let's see how these clothes work."

Izuku hesitantly took the pile of clothes into the bathroom, slowly taking off his uniform. The jeans he was given were clearly skinny jeans, along with a tight, plain black t-shirt and a dark teal zip-up hoodie trimmed in black. Last came on a pair of heavy combat boots and a teal medical mask, the same shade as the hoodie.

He took a moment to look in the mirror. The mask was large enough that it even covered his freckles. In these clothes, he looked… dangerous.

Saito whistled when he stepped out. "You look like I should be arresting you right now."

"Just two last touches," Nakamura said critically. He handed Izuku the fanny pack. "I recommend wearing this across your torso instead of around your waist like a dad on vacation. It will also make things more accessible to you, should you need it. And for the second-" here he procured none other than Hero Killer Stain's sword. "You need to decide if you want to wear it at your waist or on your back like Stain did. We had it sharpened, so the blade isn't as notched and beat-up as when you saw it last. Interestingly, it seems to have been made with a quirk that reinforces metal, so if you get enough strength behind your swing, it can literally cut through steel."

Izuku took the blade reverently before strapping it on various ways, trying to see what was most comfortable. "I think I'll keep it at my waist. Stain was quite a bit taller than I a m, but it makes more sense for me to start a fight with an upswing."

Along with the training, Izuku was repeatedly drilled on how to act with his new persona, what kind of person "Deku" was. It was honestly the worst part of the whole process. He'd _survived_ this far through belligerent optimism, by telling himself there was always a chance.

As Deku, he forsook society, and let society forsake him. It should have felt foreign to Izuku, but… it was familiar, too familiar.

That night at dinner, Izuku couldn't bring himself to eat very much. He found himself pushing food around his plate and not meeting his mother's eyes.

"You leave tomorrow, don't you?" Inko asked, already combatting tears.

"Yeah," he said, trying not to cry himself. (He was failing.)

"I… I know I can't stop you. I'm proud of you, Izuku, but I'm also just so scared. So come home to me, okay? I'll wait as long as it takes."

He finally found the strength to meet his mother's eyes. "I will, I promise. I'll do everything I can to keep myself and anyone else that needs it safe. Can you… Can you tell Shoto when you see him next? He's got those provisional licensing exams coming up, and I don't want to distract him when he can't really do anything about this whole situation."

Inko stared at him for a few moments before sobbing even harder. "I'll tell him, but remember that you have a lot of people waiting for you. We're all cheering you on."

The next morning didn't feel quite real to Izuku. He hadn't gotten very much sleep that night, and before he left the house, his mother hugged him tightly, refusing to let go for a long while.

When she did let go, Izuku gave her a shaky smile. "I'll be back before you know it."

His walk to the police station felt a bit like a death march. Walking _into_ the station, however, felt like a zoo. Upon entering, he was immediately seized by Saito, who shook him vigorously by his shirt.

"Don't you _dare_ do anything stupid," she hissed, her face concerningly close to Izuku's. "If you stab yourself with that stupid sword again, or get seriously injured by one of those criminals I _swear_ we're putting you in a protective bubble."

"Saito, put Midoriya down before you give him a concussion," Detective Tsukauchi said sharply. "But her threats stand, Midoriya. I don't want to be visiting you in the hospital at the end of all this."

Izuku ducked his head. "I know you all have your doubts, but thank you for supporting me anyway!"

His head snapped up when a strong hand settled on his shoulder. Sohma was looking at him with sad eyes. "We're letting you go because we _know_ you can do this, Midoriya. We just want you to be safe, but you're willing to sacrifice some of that for others. In the end it's all part of the job, but we worry about you because we care."

"Thank you," Izuku said, crying once again.

Mori snorted. "Get it out now, kid. You're not going to successfully infiltrate _anything_ if you can't hold it together."

After all the goodbyes were said, Izuku was given a refresher on the most important information before he was sent to the bathroom to change.

He felt teary and jittery through it all, but something in him stopped when he touched the sword. When practicing with it before he had been able to avoid thinking about it, but this sword had tasted blood, including his own. It was a blade that had tasted _death._

Heroes, good men had fallen to this blade, all because of their broken society, a society that had broken him in turn. He couldn't totally dismiss Stain's ideals-it was a twisted world they lived in. Izuku's hand tightened on the handle of the sword. He could use it to change society,similar to what Stain had done. But where Stain had cut down, Izuku swore to protect. What Stain tried to destroy, Izuku resolved to reform.

Slipping on the mask only solidified his resolve. Izuku-no, Deku, stepped out of the bathroom without a tear in sight. Even those that had been part of selecting Izuku's disguise were shaken at how different he looked, this muscular boy with eyes as sharp as his sword.

Detective Tsukauchi clapped him on the shoulder. "If you're going to do this, do it right. When the time comes to confront the Shie Hassaikai, we'll be there."

"In the meantime, kick some gangster butt!" Saito cheered.

Izuku smiled, briefly giving them a glimpse of the boy they knew and loved. "I'll be waiting to see you all again."

The station watched with bated breath as Midoriya Izuku turned and walked away. Sasaki's fist tightened, nails digging into the palm of her hand. "He's going to be okay, right?"

Naomasa smiled sadly. "Of course he is. He hasn't reached his goal yet. It will take a lot more than a few rogue gangsters to stop Izuku."

* * *

 _Excerpts from Izuku's Analysis_

 _Name: Ojiro Mashirao "Tailman"_

 _Age: 16_

 _Height: 169 cm (5'6")_

 _Occupation: Hero Student_

 _Physical Description: Ojiro has blond hair, both on his head and on the tip of his tail. His tail is rather long and thick, and other than the tail, Ojiro is considered "plain-looking" like me._

 _Personality: Ojiro is a quiet individual, but friendly and kind towards everyone. He is a hard worker, with a strong sense of dignity and maturity._

 _Quirk: "Tail" with its extremely creative name, is just what it sounds like. Ojiro's tail is extremely strong and flexible, and Ojiro uses it as comfortably as another limb while fighting. Be careful of the tail, it REALLY packs a punch._

 _Notes: I consider Ojiro one of my best friends. He was the first person my own age I really got to know after mom and I moved, and he gave me hope for the rising generation of heroes._

* * *

 **A/N: I'm back! I survived my finals! I wrote at least fifty pages in final papers, so I was a bit writing fatigued, but I'm good now! I'm excited to write the next few chapters, and like I've mentioned before, after this arc we're going to have a time skip to where the prologue takes place. But get yourselves ready for undercover Deku!**

 **Thank you all for your continued support and patience. You guys have no idea how much it means to me, and Kit too! (Don't tell Kit I didn't give Deku a manbun. She insisted that was the right move, but I actually hate the idea for Izuku. In my opinion, it would be a mistake, and as she frequently reminds me, I'm the writer and I can do what I want.)**


	29. Chapter 29

The main compound of the Shie Hassaikai was simultaneously everything and nothing he expected. It was in a less reputable part of town, but the compound was quiet, organized, and clean. If it weren't for the sinister undercurrent surrounding the place, Izuku would have doubted that he was in the right place.

An unassuming man came out, eyes Izuku critically. "Can I help you? Offer directions, maybe?"

Izuku did everything he could to keep his face blank, even though the majority of it was covered by the medical mask. "I'm here to see Overhaul."

"Overhaul?" the man smiled nervously, his eyes flicking to the front door. "I think you're mistaken, we don't-"

"Enough," Izuku-no, _Deku_ said flatly. "If I have to fight, I'll fight, but I will be speaking to Overhaul today."

Tension permeated the air as Izuku and the man stared down one another. He didn't let his focus waver, even when he had to draw his sword to slice away the encroaching vines. So the man could control plants, Izuku had had his suspicions.

He smiled, and it wasn't a kind smile. The man couldn't see it, but he definitely picked up on the dangerous glimmer in Izuku's eyes. "So I am in the right place, perfect."

The man panicked, raising his arms as he redoubled his efforts, causing vines to converge on Izuku, trapping him on all sides. It should have been impressive and intimidating, but it only took a few sword strokes to eliminate the threat completely.

"I expected more," Izuku said. "I hope Overhaul isn't as disappointing, or I'll have to change my plans."

"Oh, I'm just beginning," the man snarled. Izuku could have easily taken the man out then and there, but it was more convenient to wait for the man to raise the alarm and _then_ knock him out.

Less people came than Izuku was expected, which really worked in his favor. He didn't want to have to use more than the sword in this initial altercation. His mind and sword were whirling, picking apart quirks and weaknesses, taking a good portion of the men down with a single hit from the flat of his blade. There were only three or so men, but it felt a little too easy.

He hesitantly sheathed his blade, keeping one hand on the handle just in case. Deku hung back from the doorway, sure that they weren't done yet. Sure enough, a hulking figure appeared - it was obvious that he was of a higher caliber than the other men, and a part of Izuku was secretly thrilled to have a challenge. Just looking at the man, Izuku would guess that he had a quirk dealing with crystals, probably fairly hard ones. "You're in the wrong place if you just want to pick a fight, kid."

"They attacked first," Deku said easily, sheathing his sword as a sign of goodwill. "I just want to talk to Overhaul. And don't try to tell me that I'm in the wrong place, you saw how that went over earlier."

The man looked him over critically. "And what would you want with Overhaul?"

"I hear he's doing something big, something that will give meaning to even my useless life," Deku said, inwardly recoiling at how right the words tasted on his lips.

The man's eyes widened just a bit. "Well first you have to prove that you can be useful."

Before the man had even stopped speaking, he rushed Deku, wickedly sharp crystals protruding from his forearm. The crystals clanged harshly on the metal of the sword, leaving a deep gouge in the crystals.

Izuku couldn't help but mentally thank whoever had made this sword.

A certain light came into the man's eyes as he rushed Deku again, this time a crystalline sword extending from his arm. The man was no amatuer, that was for sure. He pattered the crystals so they were much more durable - they didn't shatter on impact.

He was good, Izuku readily admitted that. He fought with the ferocity and reckless abandon that came with having nothing to lose. Izuku found himself curious about the man's abilities, so he made little mistakes just to see how he would respond. They were fairly evenly matched, so it cost Izuku a jagged gash across his upper arm.

When he decided the fight had gone on for long enough, Izuku pulled back and swung his katana with all his strength, aiming at the same gouge he had made earlier. The force had made tiny fractures all along that area of the crystal, and now hitting it again, the entire structure shattered.

Izuku had sheathed his sword by the time the man had recovered, brushing away tiny shards of crystal. "Like I said, I'm not here for a fight, I just want to talk to Overhaul."

"I'll admit, you've piqued my interest," a voice said from the doorway. Izuku had to hide the shudder that ran down his spine at the sight of Chisaki Kai in the flesh. The way his golden eyes glittered combined with the black beak mask made Izuku feel like he was cornered prey. "Follow me."

Their footsteps echoed in the sterile, empty halls. The interior was traditional Japanese decor, but it felt too perfect, almost as if it weren't meant to be lived in.

Unsurprisingly, the room Chisaki led him to was equally spotless. There were two couches in the room, facing one another. Wordlessly the other man pulled off his glove, touching Izuku's arm.

An intense pain radiated from Izuku's arm. In the heat of the moment he had barely even noticed the wound, but now he felt like his skin was attempting to tear itself apart. His jaw clenched so tightly that Izuku was honestly surprised that he hadn't cracked a tooth or something. But just as soon as it had started, the pain was gone as soon as Chisaki withdrew his hand.

Underneath, Izuku's arm was perfect. There was no blood or scar that remained.

"A show of goodwill," Chisaki explained. "I would recommend disinfecting that blade when you get the chance. Now tell me, what made you seek me out?"

Just seeing the photograph, Izuku had immediately had a visceral reaction to Chisaki. A part of him had wondered how anyone followed the man, but now he understood. The man was subtle and sinister, but with how the man acted towards Izuku, a part of him wanted to belong.

"Why does anyone come to you? I've been called useless my whole life and I want to prove everyone wrong. I want to find a use in your hands and watch the world burn," Deku said, the words too ready, too true.

The weight of those golden eyes on him was almost too much to bear. "Tell me your story."

"I don't have a story," he said flatly. "I'm just a Deku, someone thrown away. Whoever I was before is dead."

"The Shie Hassaikai needs people like you if we're going to finish what we've started. That was an impressive display of sword fighting out there, Deku. Is that your quirk?"

It took everything in him not to freeze up at the question, a force of habit after years of torment. "Didn't you know? Dekus don't have quirks."

Izuku felt like his heart was hammering in his chest. This was it, the moment of truth. Sir Nighteye had been so sure that Chisaki would be impressed with Izuku _because_ he didn't have a quirk, but more and more Izuku was thinking that putting his life into Sir Nighteye's hands was a terrible idea. He didn't know how the Shie Hassaikai saw quirkless people, but there were plenty of people out there that readily engaged in quirkless hate crimes. Why didn't he listen to Tsukauchi?

Chisaki's eyes widened, his eyes taking on an interest that made Izuku a little uncomfortable. "You were right to seek us out, Deku. Together we can eradicate the disease that plagues this world and make it a place for the cleansed."

He managed to keep his face impassive, but inside Izuku was reeling. Did Overhaul just act like being Quirkless was a good thing? If he made it out of here alive, Izuku was going to set Saito loose on Sir Nighteye. He knew _nothing._ They didn't know the goals, motives, or even the people of the Shie Hassaikai! Why did Overhaul seem excited over a quirkless teenager? What was this creepy "cleansing" nonsense?

Pushing those emotions away, Izuku nodded once, which seemed to satisfy the other man because he waved his hand at the doorway. "Chrono, take Deku and his sword to be cleansed and show him to a room in the main compound."

"Are you sure? This boy has proven his strength, but not his loyalty," Chronostasis said. Izuku didn't dare look back at him, but he had seen pictures of the masked man in the (thin) file that Sir Nighteye had supplied.

"He will stay in the main compound," Overhaul repeated with a slight edge to his voice. "Put him in a room near the center."

"Yes, Overhaul. Follow me, boy," Chronostasis said, footsteps already echoing down the hall.

It took everything in Izuku's power not to scramble to his feet, instead standing up and bowing slightly to Overhaul with measured moments. He then caught up to Chronostasis not by running, but by lengthening his stride - all body language he'd had to perfect to become Deku. He had to act older and more composed than he was, all part of the efforts to be accepted into the Shie Hassaikai.

"As you heard, I am Chronostasis, Overhaul's right-hand man. You will not partake in any part of our operations until you are explicitly permitted to. This is your room, you will sanitize your sword as has been requested by Overhaul. One of the expendables will be sent to your shortly to show you where you've gotten clearance to go."

Chronostasis gestured to the doorway Izuku assumed was his new bedroom before walking swiftly away. He paused in front of the room. Logically it made sense, they were human too, but he'd never pictured Yakuza members having bedrooms. Somewhere in here, Chisaki could be in a room of his own, likely bathing in disinfectant.

He couldn't help but think of his own bedroom, and even his bedroom at the university in Hosu City. Like the rest of the compound, it was a traditional Japanese room, spotlessly clean. As instructed, Izuku took the time to hunt down some disinfectant wipes and clean his sword.

Aside from that, there wasn't a ton to do. Izuku doubted that anyone else would be as welcoming to him as Chisaki had been. He knew Chronostasis was only allowing him to stay because Chisaki wished it. It was doubtful that the others would demonstrate the same level of loyalty, or restraint.

He'd already dealt with the crystal-quirk user, but based on what little information Sir Nighteye had supplied, he would likely be the most sympathetic to Izuku. The few people he knew about were intimidating to say the least. He could do nothing but trust his training and the new toys the other officers had gotten him.

Try as he might, he just couldn't repress the wave of irritation at Sir Nighteye. He wouldn't change his decision, he knew that being here undercover would change a lot of people's lives for the better. No, a part of him couldn't help but feel expendable to the hero, almost as if Sir Nighteye was simply gauging Izuku's abilities.

It seemed like whoever was coming to show Izuku around wasn't in any particular hurry, but he didn't dare take off his sword or fanny pack. He wondered if it would be one of the few he had files on that picked him up. He had gotten lucky so far, but while he had trained in analysis for months, he preferred not to start from scratch in a life-or-death situation.

Izuku had decided to meditate while he was waiting, and this was how his escorts found him when they knocked and opened the door.

Not one, but two people stood in the doorway, both wearing Overhaul's trademark plague masks. The smaller was no one Izuku knew about, but the larger was the last person Izuku wanted it to be: Rappa Kendou. Rappa was a former MMA fighter who found his pleasure in life through fighting to the death, and he was almost certainly going to ask Izuku to fight.

"So you're the new recruit," the unknown man said, eyeing Izuku up and down.

"He's smaller than I imagined," Rappa said, disappointed. "I'm probably not going to get a very good fight out of him."

Making a show of standing and adjusting his sword, he merely dipped his head down and said, "Deku" as way of introduction.

Rappa bristled. "What did you just call me?"

"My _name_ is Deku," he said, exaggeratedly rolling his eyes.

"If I show you to the training room, would you show me what kind of damage that sword can do?" Rappa asked, intrigued.

"Oh, you wouldn't see it coming," Izuku promised. As he bantered with Rappa, he was doing his best to analyze the other man.

"I am Tengai Hekiji," the stranger interjected, "and this is Rappa Kendou. We are here to show you which part of the compound you are permitted to be in for now."

"Well are you going to stand around, or…?"

"Right, if you'll follow us, first we'll show you-"

"The training room!" Rappa interrupted, too eagerly.

"The dining hall," Tengai corrected forcefully. "And if this does end in you two sparring, it will be through Deku's consent, and you will restrain yourself." He lowered his voice, mistakenly assuming that Izuku couldn't hear him. "Overhaul likes this one for some reason. If you kill him there will be consequences."

"I'm not getting any younger," Izuku said, inwardly wincing at how rude he was being. "Am I going to see the compound sometime today, or should I find a spare futon for you two?"

"Our apologies, Deku. If you'll follow us."

The compound was fairly predictable. It was all spotlessly clean, and frankly a little boring. He saw the dining area - as it wasn't mealtime, the only occupant was a man rummaging through the fridge. In passing Izuku felt a bit dizzy, but it faded quickly as he walked away. His mind spun with quirk possibilities as he was led through an entertainment room, the infirmary, and finally the training room.

It came as no surprise when Rappa challenged Izuku the second they set foot into the room, but the other two looked surprised when Izuku accepted immediately and without hesitation.

The other occupants of the room stopped what they were doing and stared at the newcomers, whispers flying around the room.

"Is that the kid Overhaul likes so much?"

"Rappa is going to crush him, I almost want to feel bad for him."

"I bet you five-thousand yen that the kid's sword is going to break before he even touches Rappa."

"I'll give the kid the benefit of the doubt and say he'll get one good shot in."

Placing a hand on the sword handle, Izuku stared Rappa down. The masks really were unsettling, but Izuku didn't let himself dwell on it for too long - he had to seem completely unaffected. His mind whirled with statistics and possibilities. Rappa was one of the few names that Sir Nighteye had given Izuku, and he had done some digging. He may have given his laptop a virus, but he had found footage of some of Rappa's fights, so he was fairly certain of what the man was going to do.

"Show me what you've got, kid!" Rappa bellowed, charging forward.

Izuku made a show like he was going to unsheathe his sword, but instead of that he merely dove out of Rappa's way at the last possible second. Rappa was an experienced fighter, and a single blow would be devastating to Izuku. Luckily Rappa was so massive he telegraphed his movements - they could be read from a mile away. He was also wickedly fast, but Izuku was faster - for now. He needed to end the fight quickly before he slipped up.

Rappa was already charging at him again, this time from behind. Izuku tensed, listening intently before throwing himself into action, dancing around the other man - and away from his fists - with ease.

He dodged a few more attacks like this, much to Rappa's fury. Finally the man stomped, demanding, "Fight me already!"

"Oh, you want me to get serious?" Izuku asked with a terrible glint in his eye. "Very well."

Changing his stance, Izuku made a show of grasping his sword handle with one hand, while the other came to rest on his chest, or more accurately, right near his fanny pack. While every occupant in the room focused on the sound of Izuku drawing his sword, no one even registered his other hand unzipping the fanny pack and snaking inside.

"Hit me with all you've got, kid!" Rappa bellowed, charging forward. Just like before, Izuku merely sidestepped the man and his deadly fists. But he stepped _around_ the arm and _closer_ to Rappa, close enough that using his sword wasn't an option anymore.

There was just enough time for the other man to say, "What are you-" before Izuku tased him in the throat.

It shouldn't have worked, considering Rappa's size, and it wouldn't have with his old taser. But as an official part of the police force, he had been issued a taser with adjustable voltage, so it was effective against almost any opponent. As it was, he set it on the low end for Rappa's size so it didn't knock him out. It just stunned the man long enough for Izuku to step back and raise his blade to Rappa's throat.

"That wasn't a fight, it was just dirty tricks," one of the spectators muttered.

"I told you that you wouldn't see it coming," Izuku said, sheathing his sword. Acting bolder than he felt, he walked away without looking back, leaving his back exposed and his "guides" behind.

He existed in a sort of limbo for the next few days - some of the Shie Hassaikai members were slowly taking a liking to him, but others were vehemently opposed to him. He heard the whispers around the compound, questions of his loyalty and true intentions. They were perfectly valid suspicions, especially as Izuku was a double agent, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

The Eight Expendables were slowly taking their time testing him one by one. Rappa had been asking for a rematch for days, but Izuku had managed to deter him each time. He didn't know how much longer he would be able to put it off, but Tengai usually kept Rappa in line. Hojo also seemed to like Deku, but his relationship with the rest of them was tenuous at best. It was a natural reaction, especially to a quirkless person.

It all led to one possible outcome: a test of loyalty. Chisaki was going to have to find some task or mission for Deku to prove himself.

Knowing this didn't make it any easier to manage his nerves when Chronostasis stopped in his room, announcing that Overhaul expected his presence in an hour. He ended up spending his time meditating, fully immersing himself in "Deku."

When the time came, Hojo was waiting to lead him to the same room he had first talked with Overhaul in. Izuku had locked himself away, and he walked with even more confidence than before.

The majority of the Expendables were waiting, including Nemoto Shin, the one person he'd been avoiding at all costs. The man drew compulsory confessions and truths out of people, and Deku had come up with very few ways to counter the quirk. He had a few tricks up his sleeve against the likes of Tsukauchi and Makoto, but this was an entirely different bag of worms. His only defense was some method acting.

As he had feared, Nemoto was the first to speak.

" _What is your name?"_

"Deku," he spat, against his will.

" _And your quirk?"_

"I don't have one."

" _Why did you come to the Shie Hassaikai?"_

"This world is corrupt, and it needs to be fixed."

A few people murmured to one another, but Chisaki's eyes got that certain gleam that worried Izuku deeply - or it would later, rather.

" _And what is your quirk?"_

"I don't have one."

" _Are you loyal to Overhaul?"_

At this Deku clamped his mouth shut, suddenly feeling like his medical mask was suffocating him. But the words were stolen from him, leaving him feeling empty and violated.

"Not yet, but I want to know how he intends to cleanse the world."

His fingernails sank deeply into the meat of his palms, hating this feeling. This was too much, he couldn't decide if it was Deku or Izuku that was genuinely intrigued by what Overhaul's "cleansed" world looked like. Would there be a place for him there?

"Well there you are, he's already more loyal than some of you," Overhaul said with what Deku guessed was disdain. "Deku, you're officially a member of the Shie Hassaikai, and we have our first assignment for you."

"Anything, Overhaul."

That look was _definitely_ a dangerous one. If his mouth were visible, it would be curled up into a wicked smile when Overhaul said, "I need you to establish contact with the League of Villains."

* * *

 **A/N: I'm alive! I was planning on having this chapter done forever ago, but there were a lot of parties, family time, and the inevitable family drama. I love my family, but the problems and drama weren't really what I needed before I started my last semester of my undergrad. This chapter was surprisingly hard to write. I had a lot of writer's block, and I'm still unsure of how to characterize Overhaul, but I tried.**

 **This was an extra-long chapter, so I gave myself permission not to do a quirk analysis this round. I know some of you have said you enjoy them, but now that I'm dealing with canon characters, they're harder, and more time consuming than they should be. I was going to post this on Todoroki's birthday and do the quirk analysis on him, but now it's my birthday, so I'm not going to force myself.**

 **Wish me luck on the new semester everyone! I just have to survive long enough to get my diploma, right? But also, let me know what you guys think! I'm hoping as some of the family drama has abated now I'll be in a better writing headspace and I'll bring a better story. I'm not totally satisfied with this chapter, I even rewrote it a few times. But I have big plans for next chapter, so be on the lookout!**

 **-Rogue**


	30. Chapter 30

"You want me to establish contact with the League of Villains?" Deku asked, making sure not to allow any emotion into his voice. "To what end?"

"I want to talk with their leader to further the cause," Overhaul said. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"Not at all," Deku said easily, settling father into the role. "I must say, though, I'm a little disappointed. I've been here for almost a week, and you haven't even thought to ask what I can contribute to the cause other than my sword. I'm more than a pretty face, you know."

His hands were steady when he pulled a small notebook out of his fanny pack, handing it to Overhaul. A part of him regretted it, but this would ultimately cement his place in the Shie Hassaikai. It was filled from cover to cover with analysis of Overhaul and the Eight Expendables. A notebook that size meant that it was really a pitiable attempt at analysis, just the bare bones of what he was used to doing by now.

It was just enough to further prove himself as a valuable asset. "That's just a taste of what I can do. I'll have contact with the League of Villains within the week. Don't bother following me, it will end poorly for anyone who tries."

Deku left the room without another word, knowing that he would be long gone before they were done paging through the notebook, let alone understanding the full ramifications of the analysis in there. He remembered exactly where the front door of the compound was, and his only barrier to exit was one of the underlings that he'd come across on that first day. It wasn't much of a barrier, though, as Izuku only had to arch a single eyebrow to send the man scurrying away.

The sunlight felt wonderful on Izuku's skin - he knew he could have left the compound at any time, but he'd stayed inside if for no other reason than to give them no reason to doubt him. He'd been feeling a bit stir-crazy couped up in the compound. He could only train so much, and his analysis skills were already fairly exhausted. Checking his burner phone for the time, Izuku smiled a bit to himself - the timing was perfect. He just had to get rid of his tail, first.

Mimic, or Irinaka Joi, probably thought he was being discreet. Izuku knew plenty about the man's quirk, like the fact that it would have been child's play for him to fuse himself into the bouncy ball that had been following him for at least a block, pretending to be an abandoned child's plaything.

He played oblivious for another block until he spotted the perfect solution in a back alley. Deku plucked the bouncy ball off of the ground and hissed, "I warned you not to follow me." Then he threw the ball at the ground with all the force he could muster, watching in satisfaction as it arched into the dumpster, landing amongst half-rotted food.

"Next time it won't be a warning," Izuku said harshly. "I get that you guys don't trust me, and I definitely don't trust you. I'll be back when I've made contact."

It was highly unlikely that any of the Shie Hassaikai would attempt following Izuku any further - if they could even find him, that is. He found himself smiling, genuinely smiling for the first time in days.

His legs carried him across Musutafu, darting through alleyways and around buildings, finding himself at a rundown ramen shop. It was Tuesday, after all, and it was twelve-thirty on the dot. He slipped inside just as the only customer said, "I'll have a bowl of shoyu ramen."

"Tonkotsu for me," Izuku said, drawing the attention of both the customer and waitress.

The elderly woman's eyebrows furrowed. "I'll take your order in a moment if you'll wait to be seated-"

"No, he's with me," Detective Tsukauchi interrupted, a broad smile breaking across his face. "I just wasn't sure if he could make it today."

Izuku took off the medical mask so the detective could see his matching grin. "You know the academy teaches us not to be predictable for safety purposes, right? Coming here every Tuesday kind of undermines that."

It caught Izuku completely off guard when Tsukauchi stood, surging forward to wrap his arms around the boy. Stunned, Izuku just stood there limply, getting hugged until the detective backed off, looking Izuku over. "You're okay, right? No injuries?"

"I'm fine, I haven't been hurt in the least," Izuku promised, and it was true if you didn't count when Hojo had slashed him. But it hadn't even scarred, it was gone before it had even become life-threatening, so it didn't count.

Tsukauchi gripped his shoulder tightly. "You keep yourself safe, got it? I don't care how you justify it, you're my first priority. Keep yourself safe, if not for you or me, then for your mother."

Lingering traces of his Deku persona were the only thing keeping his from crying all over the detective. "I promise I'll do everything I can to keep myself safe."

"So why are you here? I trust you weren't followed."

"To prove myself, Chisaki sent me on a mission," Izuku said, settling in further. He started in on his story, telling Tsukauchi everything that was important, passing him a notebook much like the one he'd left Overhaul - this one talked about each of the members, but unlike the other, it gave specific weaknesses and explicit details on which heroes would be most effective against each member, as well as some tactics for police officers to use on certain member of she Shie Hassaikai. (He didn't want to leave the officers out of the fun. Izuku would _pay_ to see Saito throat-punch one of the Eight Expendables.)

They talked through their meal, and Izuku only paused when he got to this morning's events. He masked his hesitation to address it by shovelling a huge amount of ramen into his mouth, taking the time to chew it before he said, "Chisaki sent me to try to recruit new people to the cause."

Tsuakauchi stared Izuku down - he could sense that there was _something_ Izuku wasn't telling him, but he also knew that trying to get an answer from the boy wouldn't be a very productive use of their limited time together.

"Will you be safe?"

"I'm in no danger from these people," Izuku promised. Tsukauchi was going to have to be content with that - the boy told the truth. Whoever these recruits were, he hoped that they would help Izuku if worse comes to worst.

"I trust you, Midoriya," Tsukauchi said heavily. "Come back safely, kid."

"You got it, boss," Izuku said, saluting the detective with a grin. With that he replaced his mask and slipped out, disappearing onto the street. Sometimes Naomasa regretted letting Eraserhead train Midoriya in stealth techniques.

Izuku knew his final destination, but he had a few errands to run first. A letter slipped under his house's front door, a gift cart to Nakamura's favorite restaurant placed under the windshield wiper of his squad car since Izuku had missed his birthday, and a box of candies for Kimiko was dropped in the mail, all things Izuku did without issue or discovery.

The most difficult task was going to be getting information for Sir Nighteye. He had a few things he wanted to tell the man himself, but he didn't risk going into any hero agency while undercover, it would be asking for disaster.

He loitered in the general area for a while, mostly killing time at that point. But after a while it appeared that Nighteye wasn't in the area, and sadly Izuku didn't have access to Nighteye's schedule like he did for the heroes he worked with regularly. Sir Nighteye should have been the primary recipient of the information, as he was the one spearheading the whole debacle, but Izuku still couldn't bring himself to trust the man fully. He had also left the notebook with Tsukauchi to ensure that the police officers weren't going in blind. He scribbled down the pertinent information in yet another notebook, mostly details like what heroes _not_ to include in the raid when the time came.

His mind was sifting through various methods of delivery when he noticed he had his second tail of the day - one of Nighteye's sidekicks, a U.A. student who went by Lemillion. Someone Nighteye hadn't thought it was important to introduce Izuku to.

For someone with a foresight quirk, Sir Nighteye wasn't great at planning. It was clear that Lemillion thought he was a suspicious individual, and Izuku wasn't sure he could shake him off his tail - he wasn't Eraserhead, and Lemillion could walk through walls.

A slight commotion arose a few blocks away - there was going to be a villain attack fairly soon. Lemillion stayed focused on him, a grin stretched across his face.

It was clear exactly when Lemillion decided to make his move - well, it was clear to Izuku, but it would have caught a number of people off-guard. "Hey there, you look a little lost. Can I help you?"

"I'm fine."

"That's quite the sword you've got there," he finally said, lengthening his stride to match Izuku. "You don't see that many swords in public."

"Listen, Lemillion, I'm a busy man. We can stand here and discuss my sword ad the legality of it, or you can take the notebook I have for Sir Nighteye and go deal with the things going on down the street. Your choice."

"How do you know Sir? And wha-"

A scream pierced the air, and Lemillion spun around to survey the situation.

"Make sure this gets to Sir Nighteye, and only Sir Nighteye," Izuku said, pressing the notebook into Lemillion's hand. "And come at the villain down there from his left, he's partially blind in that eye."

"What-" When Lemillion turned around again, Izuku was already gone. He probably could have found Izuku again if he had really wanted to, but there was a villain to see to.

It seemed to Izuku that he had waited long enough to accomplish his purposes - the majority of them shoudl be there by now. He wasn't too far away from the League of Villains' hideout, and there was a really good place to stop and get sushi from on his way there. .

This wasn't the same building that they'd brought him to when they'd kidnapped him al that time ago, that one had been compromised during that operation. It had taken a while, but they had found another bar to fit Shigaraki's aesthetic, and an old warehouse they usually saved for striking a deal.

Thankfully this bar had better lighting, though when Izuku stepped inside most of the lights were off, and he was greeted by the familiar sound of Shigaraki yelling at whatever video game he happened to be playing at the time.

Kurogiri sighed. "Dabi, will you go inform Shigaraki Tomura that if he disintegrates another gaming system, he will _not_ get a replacement?"

"No thanks, I'd rather not deal with the tantrum," Dabi said lazily, not even looking up from his cellphone.

"Do you think Izuku is going to make it this week?" Toga asked, idly sharpening her favorite knife. "It was boring without him. Can't we just recruit him already?"

"I already told you I won't be joining the League," Izuku said, finally alerting them to his presence. He really did enjoy his stealth training with Eraserhead.

All eyes rested on him with varying degrees of shock. Toga was frozen, knife half-raised while Shigaraki cursed, trying to hide the fact that he'd just disintegrated the gaming controller. Only Kurogiri maintained his composure, moving forward to accept the sushi platter he was carrying. "It's nice to see you, Midoriya. I'm glad to see you are unharmed, there was some concern on your behalf when you failed to come to last week's poker night."

"That's actually part of why I'm here. I've got some business to discuss with you guys," Izuku said, unconsciously shifting from one foot to another.

Shigaraki finished kicking the dust from the controller around so Kurogiri hopefully wouldn't see it before he sauntered over to where Izuku stood. "You're sure dressed up, aren't you, Deku?"

"The only way he could look better would be if he was covered in blood," Toga said with a dreamy sigh, her amber eyes fixated on him - it was unsettling, but mostly because of the knife that still gleamed in her hand. "Oooh, is that Stainy's sword?"

"It's mine now," Izuku said, unsure of where to start his whole explanation.

"But where were you last week, Midoriya?" Mr. Compress asked curiously.

Izuku took in a deep breath. "I've been at Overhaul's compound."

Before he could explain further, Shigaraki screeched, accidentally disintegrating a TV remote control. "You refuse to join us, and join Overhaul instead?!"

"I thought we were friends, Izuku."

"Weren't you with the police or something?"

"I am a police officer still!" Izuku shouted over the panicking League.

"What?"

"I'm undercover, I'm pretending to be a part of the Shie Hassaikai. I've been in the compound for the past week trying to gain Overhaul's trust so I can get more information for when the heroes decide to carry out the raid."

Spinner let out a tense breath. "I knew you would not stray so far from Stain's principles, Midoriya."

"Suuuure," Izuku said awkwardly. "Anyway, Overhaul sent me here because he wants to discuss something with the League of Villains. I'm supposed to contact you within the week."

"Oh, he's deigning to speak to us?" Shigaraki asked, a wicked smile spreading over his face. "This has possibilities."

He couldn't fully suppress his shudder at the thought of Shigaraki and Overhaul teaming up - the world wasn't ready for that. "But I'm with Overhaul because the heroes are making their move soon. If all goes according to plan, the Shie Hassaikai will be dissolved."

"This sounds like we're dangerously close to breaking our agreement, Midoriya Izuku," Kurogiri said, studying him intently.

Izuku sighed heavily. When he'd been invited to that first poker night a few weeks after the kidnapping, they had been forced to come to an agreement; Izuku and the League of Villains could keep up a tenuous relationship if they all promised to follow a series of rules. The foremost of those was that neither side was allowed to divulge any sensitive work secrets, or ask about them. The League agreed to keep their actions out of Izuku's jurisdiction, and they wouldn't give away any information about what they were planning - Izuku wouldn't have been able to handle the guilt.

Similarly, Izuku couldn't tell them police or hero plans, or weaknesses. If he were ever in a position where he had to arrest one of them, supposedly there would be no hard feelings. He desperately hoped that after the kidnapping he would be forbidden to have anything to do with the League, and this wouldn't be an issue. He did value his friendship with the group of weirdos, they had sort of adopted him. They also gave him good intel on other criminal organizations, especially if they were annoyances to the League.

Izuku largely justified it by claiming the League as a source of information. But no matter how many times he told himself that, he couldn't deny the fact that when the door opened and Twice called, "Hey, Midoriya is back, we missed you! _Go away, I can't win if you're here!"_

* * *

Kit's Corner

It had been a fairly big bust for them. It had taken weeks, but Saito had finally managed to bust this drug ring, finding the leader of it all making a deal in a local bakery.

The terrified shopkeeper kept wringing his hands. "I swear I had no idea this was going on! I just treated them like I did any other customer!"

"We're aware, sir," Nakamura said as comfortingly as he was capable of. "We will be by with more questions later, but for now just relax. If you have any questions or concerns, you can always call the station and ask for me or Officer Saito."

Saito nodded firmly before her eyes landed on a cake, a very specific birthday cake that made her mouth and her eyes water.

She cleared her throat. "Although, we do want to take every precaution necessary to make sure that none of your baked goods have been tampered with."

The shopkeeper paled while Nakamura's glare seared Saito's skin. Gesturing at the cake she continued, "We simply need to run a few cakes - tests, we need to run a few tests, just to make sure this wasn't laced with anything."

"Take it!" the shopkeeper cried. "Do you need anything else?"

"This should be sufficient for our tests," Saito said, bowing to the man and seizing the cake, rushing out to the squad car before her partner could strangle her.

When he made it out, Nakamura hissed, "The criminal didn't even have any product on him."

"You can never be too sure, Nakamura. Now drive."

The cake tortured her the rest of the way to the station, but when they finally arrived she carried it in triumphantly. "I have the strawberry cake from that bakery on fifth! You can all thank me now."

Murmurs of appreciation sounded across the station as they broke out plates and forks. It was the best local bakery, and the cakes were really too expensive to justify buying them when it wasn't a special occasion. Partway through the impromptu party, though, a sniffle sounded.

"Sasaki? Are you okay?" Sohma asked, patting his junior on the back.

"I just… this is Midoriya's favorite kind of cake."

The room quieted almost instantly as the officers slowed their cake consumption, contemplating the current state of their youngest comrade.

"Why's it so quiet in here? Hey, cake!" Detective Tsukauchi smiled delightedly, serving himself a piece before looking around. "What's up with all of you?"

"We were simply worrying about Midoriya, sir," Kondo said, eyes softer than usual. "He's not really one to avoid danger."

"Oh, I just got back from lunch with him, he's actually made it this far without getting injured," Tsukauchi said, feeling lighter than he had in weeks. "Is this from that bakery on fifth? This is the best!"

The room was largely silent save for the angry stomps of Saito, followed by the clamor caused by her slapping Tsukauchi's cake out of his hands.

"What are you doing, Saito?!"

"You had lunch with Midoriya and _you didn't tell us?!"_ she demanded, eyes blazing. "We've been worried sick about him, and you couldn't even tell us to meet you for lunch?"

"Yeah, we could have made Mori watch over the station during lunch!" Sasaki spat.

"Hey!"

* * *

 **A/N: I'm alive! This chapter is mostly fluff, but that's because Detective Midoriya turned a year old today! I wanted to give you guys a fun chapter, so it came off a bit disjointed, but I did my best between all of my classes. The plot is getting serious in the next couple chapters, but it will always be balanced with some happy absurdity.**

 **Y'all will notice that Izuku's Analysis was replaced with Kit's Corner. I wasn't enjoying the analysis as much anymore, and this way I get to include some of Kit's brilliant ideas for little scenes. Kit, as per usual, thought that the majority of this particular chapter was a bad idea, but that's never stopped me before. Thank you all for supporting me in this past year, it's been a wild ride so far. I hope I can keep delivering a story that you all enjoy as much as you do now. Here's to another year (maybe) of Detective Midoriya!**


	31. Chapter 31

"Full house!" Magne crowed, slamming her hand down onto the table. "I take this round."

"Not quite," Izuku said, slowly laying his own hand on the table. "Royal flush."

"How?!" Twice demanded. "How do you always do this?! _You seriously suck_."

"Are you sure you don't have a luck quirk?" Mr. Compress asked, rolling one of his marbles between his fingers.

"I'm as quirkless as the day I was born, you're all just pansies," Izuku said, thinking of Saito's cutthroat playing style – it was well known that she cheated, they just hadn't figured out how yet.

"If you joined us—"

"I don't want a quirk, Shigaraki," Izuku interrupted. "I also don't want to know how you feel so confident in continuously offering me one."

"You don't want to stay with us forever?" Toga asked, fluttering her eyelashes.

"I'm very happy as a police officer. But that brings me back to why I'm here. Are you willing to meet with Overhaul?"

He stared down Shigaraki for what felt like eternity until the man sighed. "Take him to the warehouse tomorrow evening. I'll talk to him, but I make no promises to work with him."

"That's all I can ask. And I need to warn you, don't do anything to seem aggressive to Overhaul. Don't act like you're going to attack him or his people. I don't want to explain why I'm planning your funeral. And obviously, act like you don't know me. If my cover is blown, you guys get to plan my funeral."

"We'll be careful, Izuku," Toga cooed, a dangerous glint in her eye. "After all, we still haven't gone on our first date yet."

"You know what, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that. Goodnight, everyone. I'll see you tomorrow evening. Remember, don't provoke them."

"I would never! Come on man, let me do something fun!" Twice said, slapping Izuku on the back.

"If you'll join the Yakuza even temporarily, it isn't such a stretch to think you might join the League of Villains. I'll hold out for you," Shigaraki said. Izuku had known the League long enough now that he recognized Shigaraki's roundabout way of saying he would miss him. Shigaraki was completely unpracticed in expressing any sort of positive emotions, so his attempts were always… odd.

"Don't hold your breath," Izuku said, flashing a grin. "I won't be at another poker night until this job is done, but when I come back be ready to leave."

Normally Izuku would never have stayed out that late, especially as this wasn't the most savory part of town. But with the sword at his hip and mask over his face, Izuku couldn't help but think that now he was one of the things that go bump in the night.

No one was keeping watch at the compound, which Izuku could only attribute to hubris. It was late, extremely late, but the light to Overhaul's office was on, which meant the man was awake.

He found his way there, pushing down anxieties that were surfacing. He had to be Deku, confident, douchey Deku.

"We need to be able to move into the mass production stage soon," Overhaul was saying when Izuku approached the door that wasn't quite shut. "We just need a way to ensure Eri's survival."

"That will be easier if we can convince the League of Villains to lend us Bubaigawara," Chronostasis said. "I don't know why you entrusted such an important task to Deku. We barely know the boy, let alone whether he can be trusted or not."

They moved onto safer topics, and he took that as his cue to interrupt. He knocked lightly on the door before sliding it open, doing his best to appear as if he'd barely gotten back. "Sorry for the intrusion."

Chrono's mood instantly soured as he glared at Deku. "Giving up on your mission after less than a day? I'd like to say I'm surprised, but frankly this is exactly what I expected from a child."

Determinately ignoring the man, Deku handed Overhaul a paper torn from yet another notebook. "Here are the time and place you'll be meeting the League of Villains tomorrow. Now if you'll excuse me-"

"How do we know it's not a trap?" Chronostasis demanded, glaring at the paper.

"Chrono, you wound me," Deku said, dramatically clutching his chest. "Take me with you if you distrust me that much. Use me as a hostage if that's what you need."

"That won't be necessary," Overhaul intoned, golden eyes gleaming. "You will be coming with us though, Deku. You should be able to see the fruits of your labor. For now, rest."

Izuku bowed slightly before leaving, a number of questions swimming though his mind. Most of them pertained to whoever they had been talking about earlier. On his walk back to his room, he could have sworn that he heard the faint sound of a child crying, only adding to his confusion. He was asleep almost instantly upon collapsing onto his futon, his dreams filled with plague masks and crying children.

The next day came all too soon, but he couldn't let himself sleep in like he so desperately wanted to. Deku was strong, too strong for sleep deprivation even if Izuku felt like death. Despite his lack of sleep, he was awake and training at his normal hour, long before anyone else was.

Rappa and Tengai were the first to walk in, Rappa immediately challenging Izuku to a fight. It took a while for a few more to trickle in, but when word spread that he was already back, a whole slew of people appeared.

Sakaki, slightly more sober than usual, giggled. "Back already, little boy? Did you get scared by the big. bad, League of Villains?"

"He probably couldn't even find them," someone else scoffed. Deku resolutely said nothing, continuing his training as if no one else was there.

This continued for about an hour until the door opened to reveal none other than Chisaki himself.

"Excellent, you're all here. Tonight we meet with the League of Villains," he said in his usual no-nonsense manner. "I can't take all of you, so I've given it some thought. Joining me will be Chronostasis, Mimic, Nemoto, Katsukame, and Deku."

"You're taking _Deku_?" Nemoto asked, aghast. It wasn't wholly unexpected, Nemoto fancied himself as Overhaul's favorite, and it was clear he saw Deku as a threat to that.

"He's the one that arranged all of this, it's only right for him to be there," Overhaul said smoothly. Izuku found himself hating the man's charisma. It was easy to see why those like Nemoto and Chronostasis were willing to fight to be the boss's favorite, and it was just as easy to see that Izuku had to watch his back. He was rocking the boat too much for the others to be comfortable, getting too close to Overhaul, who continued, "Arranging this meeting was a test of his ability and loyalty, after all, and he's proven himself to me."

Deku inclined his head slightly, surreptitiously glancing at the others. "I'm happy to be an official part of the Shie Hassaikai."

Once the announcement was made, Izuku took that as his cue to leave. He'd trained enough, now it was time to feed himself and take a shower. He was a jittery ball of nerves, so he allowed himself a quick nap. If he was going to be a ball of nerves, at least he wouldn't be a sleep-deprived ball of nerves.

His dreams haunted him even more this time around, filled with the sounds of children in pain and birds of prey. He woke with a racing heart and a foreboding feeling.

A part of him wanted someone here as backup, possibly Sir Nighteye, so he'd have an idea of what was going to happen at this meeting. Then again, Sir Nighteye was quite possibly the worst coordinator Izuku had ever had the misfortune of coming across. He knew Sir was a renowned strategist, but Izuku couldn't bother to be impressed. The man was too emotional, as hilarious as that sounded. He was willing to rush in with little to no information or planning, putting dozens of lives at risk.

Screw Sir Nighteye. If he could have anyone he wanted here, he would probably choose the detective. Things always felt like they were going to be okay when Tsukauchi was around. Although he was still hoping Saito would make it onto the raid team whenever it happened. He needed to see her throat-punch a Yakuza to truly live a fulfilled life.

Speaking of Saito, Izuku hoped that she hadn't gotten in trouble lately. If his calculations were correct, then Detective Kimura should be back from maternity leave by now. He didn't know her well, just enough to know that she was a woman to be feared. According to Tamakawa, the last time Saito and Kimura had gone all out, the entire station had-

His thoughts were interrupted by the alarm he had set to ensure he was awake and ready for the meeting. As he was already awake, Izuku had some extra time, so he took to cleaning his sword. Like before, touching the sword was somehow… calming, or it reminded him of his resolve, of why he was here.

By the time he was ready to leave, his sword would have easily passed Overhaul's inspection. He bucked it at his side securely, hands steady.

Overhaul was already in his office at that point, along with Chronostasis, but they were still waiting on Mimic and the Expendables that were coming.

Even though he had no idea what Chrono looked like, Izuku got the distinct impression that the man was glaring at him. He merely cocked his head, eyes roaming Chronostasis coldly, analytically. "Remember to behave yourself," he finally said in as patronizing a voice he could muster. "We wouldn't want to cause any trouble for Overhaul."

It was clear that Chronostasis dearly wanted to put Deku in his place, but he couldn't in front of Overhaul.

"Let's get this moving," Mimic said, strolling in in his usual puppet form. Irinaka and the other Expendables that had been invited trailed behind, anxious to get going.

"Don't engage the League unless I give the signal," Overhaul reminded them all as they went through the plan one more time. Those that were coming primarily as backup were given the warehouse address and sent to a discreet location nearby.

It was dusk when the meeting rolled around, because Shigaraki was simply that dramatic. The warehouse was eerie in the fading light, but the effect wasn't quite as potent when Izuku had been in the warehouse a month or so prior, playing poker with the League.

"Are you ready to start something that will change the world, Deku?" Overhaul asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

Biting his lip nearly hard enough to draw blood, Izuku nodded, grateful for the mask and the fading light hiding his expression. At Overhaul's nod, Chronostasis threw the door open, allowing his master to stroll in like he owned the place.

True to Shigaraki's dramatic flare, the League was stationed around the warehouse in strategic positions. It was clearly supposed to look casual, but also act as a sort of dominance display. He could feel their eyes land on him before skirting away in an attempt not to give away their connection with him. Toga was the most daring, winking at him and flashing a fanged grin before retreating back into the shadows.

Shigaraki was leaning against the wall, fully decked out in his handmade regalia. "So you're Overhaul. I almost didn't believe the kid actually knew you, but it does seem like he's smart enough to value his life."

"Deku is our most promising new member," Overhaul said smoothly, "but he's not why we're here, is he?"

"You're the one that sent your little monkey to do your bidding," Shigaraki rasped standing a little straighter in irritation. "So why _are_ we here?"

"I have a plan that will change the world, and there's really only one thing that can stand in my way," Overhaul said.

"And that is?"

"All For One."

Izuku struggled to keep his face impassive, trying to shove away the confusion that plagued him. That was something to look into later, especially with how immediate and dramatic the League's reaction was.

Shigaraki was the most dramatic of all, his entire body tensing visibly. "And what do you want from us?"

"Support," Overhaul said simply. "I plan to cleanse this diseased world, and I think I could truly use you and All For One to your greatest potential."

" _You_ can use us?" Shigaraki demanded, his body language getting even more erratic. Since the attention was off of him, Izuku leaned down, picking up a discarded board from some abandoned project.

"You've done great things, gained a lot of traction," Overhaul said. "But you're limited. You've got all of these powerful people on hand, but you don't have the experience to manage them effectively. If you keep expanding, it will only collapse in on itself because you have no structure or purpose."

"Are you saying we should come work for you, birdbrain?" Toga asked in distaste.

"You will talk to Overhaul with respect," Chronostasis said severely.

"Why should we respect him?" Magne demanded, brandishing her magnet. "Whenever people talk about cleansing the world, it just means getting rid of anyone who's different. Well I got news for you honey, I'm different and proud!"

She moved forward to attack, but Izuku stepped in front of Overhaul as if defending him, but in reality he was staring Magne down, reminding her of the repeated warnings he had given her. He wouldn't have the League's blood on his hands.

Shigaraki held a hand up to Magne, stopping her before commanding Chisaki, "Get out."

"You're supposed to be All For One's heir, right?" Chisaki asked, cocking his head to the side. "What I see is a little boy playing dress up."

"I said GET OUT!" Shigaraki lunged forward blindly, hands outstretched. He was brought out of his fit of rage when the board Izuku had picked up before dissolved in his hand.

Izuku made eye contact with Shigaraki, grounding the other man long enough to stop his temper tantrum. When it was clear Shigaraki was done attacking, Izuku said, "Clearly we're of two different mindsets. If we don't want this to end in bloodshed, I would suggest we leave things as they are for now, Overhaul. We can talk to them again later when they've come to their senses."

Overhaul nodded, scratching beneath the mask. "One day you'll see that you need direction. When that day comes, I'll be waiting. Come on, Deku, the others are waiting."

Chronostasis and Overhaul turned away, but Izuku waited just a few moments longer, taking the time to flash the League a thumbs up.

* * *

Kit's Korner

Toga didn't know what Shigaraki's deal was with all the hands, she just knew his reaction was absolutely _hilarious_ when one of them was missing. Sure, Kurogiri had reprimanded them for their irresponsibility a few times, but that just meant they had to be even sneakier. Thus came about the League's favorite pastime, Hide the Hand.

Those that didn't come around the base as often didn't want to involve themselves, the cowards, so it was mainly a competition between Toga, Dabi, and Twice. They had a running tally of points, awarded for the number of hands stashed away, and how good their hiding spot was. Kurogiri had even lightened up on them ever since Shigaraki almost disintegrated one of those hands and learned to look for them more carefully.

However, today they happened to be running late.

"We must beat Overhaul to the warehouse," Kurogiri was saying as he packed dinner for the League. "We have to make a good impression."

"WHERE DID YOU HIDE THEM THIS TIME?" Shigaraki roared, tearing the bar apart. "WHERE IS FATHER?"

Toga's eyes went wide as she made eye contact with Dabi, mouthing, _Did you hide father?_

Dabi shook his head slowly, and both of their eyes came to land on Twice, who seemed to be having an argument with himself.

"He's going to kill us this time," Toga whimpered, backing away. "I'll never get to see my Izuku again."

"Find it, find it _now,"_ Dabi hissed, beginning to look through the bar himself.

They kept track as Shigaraki found hand after hand, until he'd found all of them but Father. It was time to leave when Dabi ripped open the freezer in desperation to find the missing hand nestled inside.

"Toga, catch!" he said, chucking the frozen appendage across the room to her.

The blonde barely caught it, quickly sticking it into the disheveled couch cushions. "Oh Shiggy, I think you just misplaced Father, he's over here!"

Shigaraki stormed over. "Don't touch my hands!"

"I would never," Toga pouted, handing him Father. "You just need to stop being so careless with your things."

"Then why is Father so cold?" he growled.

"Oh, what was that Kurogiri? We should have left five minutes ago? Oh, my favorite knife needs me?" Toga dashed away, pretending to respond to Kurogiri, who was resolutely saying nothing.

* * *

 **A/N: Hello! School is just starting to calm down a bit, so I might be able to get a more consistent update schedule going. I make no promises though. In case you can't tell, Kit and I were REALLY unimpressed with the way that Sir Nighteye handled the whole raid. I understand their desperation to save Eri, but they had no information and no plan, essentially. Additionally, I couldn't let Izuku get disintegrated since he was the stand in for the "unnamed Yakuza" that Shigaraki killed. Without bloodshed, I truly don't think that Overhaul could have convinced the League to help him at all, and Izuku wouldn't have let any of the League be killed in front of him, thus the ending of this chapter. You may disagree with me, but I wrote things as I think they would have happened given the circumstances.**

 **Anyway, I don't think I fully did Kit's Korner justice this time, but I'll just have to try again next chapter! Kit would like me to inform you all that 1. I write my stories in fountain pen, which is apparently hilarious, and 2. she is very disappointed in all of you because I technically got a cosplay before I got a fanart. It's amazing, toppis on Ao3 made their own Save My Fanny Pack! It's legit one of the best things I've ever seen!**


	32. Chapter 32

They left without further issue, and that night Izuku was able to catch up on the sleep he'd missed the night before. The foreboding feeling he'd had the last few days had finally dissipated and he could breathe easily again.

He kept to his routine the next morning, rising and training early, regardless of the taunting and jeering of the other Shie Hassaikai members. It was partway through his workout that Overhaul appeared, calling for him.

Izuku abruptly set his dumbbells down, careless of wherever Mimic happened to be standing. "Yes, sir?"

"Come with me," Overhaul said, gesturing him forward. "I've got a new assignment for you."

Wordlessly following Overhaul, Izuku's mind raced with possibilities. A part of him was convinced that they were on to him and leading him to his execution.

"It's a shame that the League of Villains is so closed-minded, but one day that may change. For now, I need to deal with you." Overhaul paused, just long enough for Izuku's blood pressure to spike exponentially. "Our failure to forge a partnership with the League does not change the fact that you have behaved admirably and proven yourself on multiple accounts, Deku. Because of that I wanted to tell you a little about the goals you're fighting for now."

In that moment it took all of his training not to break character. Eyes slightly wider than usual, Izuku followed behind. After being here for such a short time, Overhaul was just going to _give_ him the answers he was looking for?

Overhaul led him into the previously forbidden part of the compound, the part he'd been warned not to visit on pain of death. As they got further from listening ears, Overhaul said, "When I first met you, I sensed a kindred spirit. I don't believe in fate, but I knew you would be instrumental in bringing my plans into action."

"Your plans, sir?"

"To rid the world of this disease we call quirks."

Izuku as rendered completely speechless as Overhaul began to explain his plan, a plan that was already in the opening stages. Chisaki had explained about the drugs they were working to manufacture, both to cancel and enhance quirks. Izuku didn't - _couldn't_ respond to the fact that some of these drugs were already in cirulation.

His lab was exactly what you would expect of a mad scientist's laboratory, dark but spotlessly clean. Izuku listened in horror as Chisaki bragged about their creation that permanently took away quirks. It was a new creation and they only had five bullets thus far. Apparently these were significantly more difficult to produce.

Izuku knew his mind should have been racing with the existence and possible application of these drugs, but he was just stunned, completely and utterly stunned.

"You, though, you've been my inspiration as of late," Overhaul continued, setting down one of the bullets that took away quirks permanently. "You're proof that the quirkless are greater than this disease. You've given me a glimpse of what we're fighting for. Because of that, I'm assigning you to keep watch over the key to our success."

He numbly followed Overhaul to a different room, only subconsciously observing the route. Chisaki pushed the door open, revealing a small form huddled on a bed.

It was a _child._ She couldn't have been much older than Kota or Kirimi, but she cowered as the door opened, fear evident in her scarlet eyes. Now Izuku's brain really short-circuited. It would be later that he realized that her arms and legs were wrapped in bandages, and her entire presence emanated neglect.

The sight of her like this made Izuku more furious than anything ever had before.

"Her name is Eri," Overhaul said easily, "not that that's important. She's attempted to run away a few times, and a failure to stop her has left her previous caretaker… indisposed."

 _Dead,_ Izuku's mind translated.

"Starting tomorrow you'll be in charge of Eri," Overhaul said. "Just make sure she doesn't touch you, her quirk is particularly diseased."

It took a few deep breaths, but when Izuku brought himself to speak to Overhaul, his voice was even. "I'm honored to have such an important job. Do you mind if I take the rest of the day to run errands, perhaps prepare for my new assignment?"

"Do what you must, Deku," Overhaul said, waving his hand dismissively. "But know that while I do like you, Eri is the center of my plans. I need you to be vigilant. If she does manage to escape, there is no brighter future. Remember what you fight for."

Izuku knew it was a thinly-veiled death threat, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. Looking back at the little girl one last time, Izuku remembered exactly what he was fighting for.

"I'll see that she's properly taken care of," Izuku said coldly, every fiber of his being protesting. He wanted nothing more than to snatch this child and sprint as far away as possible. But he needed to be smart, he needed to control his emotions or this little girl's life would only get worse.

"I look forward to seeing your results."

Izuku stared at the man's retreating back before slowly withdrawing his hands from his pockets, trying to stop them from shaking.

He kept his composure for as long as it took him to leave the compound. Once he was sure he wasn't being followed, he broke out into a sprint, weaving around pedestrians haphazardly. He needed… he needed to report. He needed to see Tsukauchi.

His legs carried him to the police station, mind completely disconnected from his body. He needed to know they would rescue Eri, he needed comfort.

Bursting through the doors, he scared a few civilians, but he scared the officers even more. He likely would have made a slightly different entrance if he'd had his full mental capacity available.

Saito vaulted over the reception desk, hand on her gun. "Did they find you out? Are they coming? I'll call back up."

"Come here, Midoriya," Tamakawa beckoned, fur bristling. "We'll make sure to keep you safe."

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Izuku explained, "I'm fine, I didn't blow my cover. I need… I need to talk to Tsukauchi."

"Can you wait a while? The detective is in a meeting right now, and-"

"It's just his friend Yagi, and I would interrupt if he were in a meeting with All Might himself." Saito marched to the detective's office, wrenching the door open. "Naomasa, your son is here and panicking."

Immediately there was a scuffle, and Izuku could hear, "Midoriya? Sorry Toshi, this is important."

The tears he hadn't realized were coming spilled over, and whether it was initiated by him or Naomasa, no one knew, but they were hugging each other tightly. "Midoriya, what happened? Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine. They didn't hurt me, but there's a little girl, and, and…"

"Calm down, Midoriya, take a breath," Tsukauchi said, pulling away and settling his hands on Izuku's shoulders. "What's going on?"

Izuku did as Tsukauchi instructed, calming his breathing. As he was calming down, a tall, gaunt figure emerged from the detective's office.

His breath stuttered in his chest and he could have sworn his heart stopped for a moment. He knew this man, this scarecrow that haunted his nightmares, and heightened panic seized him.

"Oh, Naomasa, is this the young man you've mentioned?" All Might, or Yagi, apparently, stuck out a hand. "It's nice to meet you, young Midoriya."

A part of him wanted to succumb to the panic that was pressing on him. The frazzled, emotional part of him was screaming that he was inadequate, that All Might would only come and dismantle this dream as well. He couldn't breathe very well, but if he took off his mask All Might would see him and remind Detective Tsukauchi and the entire station that he was worthless, quirkless Deku and he really had no place in being here.

"Sohma, take Midoriya into the break room," Tsukauchi said authoritatively. "Toshi, I'm sorry, but I need to take care of this. We can catch up some other time."

"If there's anything I can do, Naomasa, just-"

"Thanks, Toshi, but I need to handle this one alone," Tsukauchi said, letting his friend out before darting to the breakroom.

He found Izuku surrounded by concerned police officers. He looked calmer already, though his eyes darted around erratically and his hands clenched and unclenched periodically.

"Are you okay, Midoriya?" Tsukauchi asked, precariously perching on the table, close, but not too close to the kid. "You're not hurt, are you?"

Izuku shook his head. "I'm fine, just… It's just a lot. I… We need to act sooner than we thought. Chisaki wants to cleanse the world and eradicate quirks altogether." He paused, waiting for the gasps around the room to die down. "The worst part is that Chisaki has the means. He's developed a series of drugs, one that temporarily enhances quirks, one that temporarily takes them away, and he just figured out how to produce a drug that will permanently take away quirks."

"How?" Sasaki breathed.

"I don't know the details, but he's using a little girl," Izuku said, squeezing his eyes shut. "Something about her quirk makes it possible for these drugs to be manufactured. We need to be careful with how we proceed, I refuse to let Eri be more traumatized than she already is. I heard Sir Nighteye's plan so far, and the only thing it's going to do is get people killed. Make sure _everyone_ gets the information and training they need. Please let Saito punch someone in the throat."

"That definitely sounds like an important part of Little Midoriya's plan," Saito interjected.

"But also be careful. I'll do everything I can to protect Eri, I'll keep her safe until we can safely rescue her," Izuku said, emanating determination.

He stayed a while longer, debriefing them on any and all information he could think of. Once that was done he lingered, catching up with the officers, listening to their latest stories. But his time to leave was quickly approaching.

Before he left he had to say one last thing. He stopped in the doorway of Detective Kimura's office, knocking gently on the door.

She glanced up. "Can I help you, Midoriya?"

"I…" With shaking fingers, he withdrew a letter from the fanny pack. "I know anyone would be happy to do this for me, but could you give this to my mom and let her know I'm okay? I just think it might mean more since you're also a mom."

"Absolutely, Midoriya. I would be happy to do that for you." She regarded him, her eyes peering at his very soul. "Is that all you want from me?"

"Um, no." Izuku took a deep breath. "How do I… I mean, you heard in there that I'm responsible for taking care of Eri. She's so small, and she's already been hurt so much. How do I take care of her? How will she ever trust me?"

"The fact that you're worrying and willing to try means you'll be just fine," Kimura said with a smile. "There will never be perfect parents, but kids just need someone who cares about them enough to act on it. Kids can tell when you're genuine. It may take some time, but Eri will see the difference between you and the bastards who hurt her."

"That… That makes sense," Izuku said, nodding. "Thank you."

Kimura watched the boy leave, slowly shaking her head. "I don't know where Naomasa found him, but that kid is meant for great things."

Kit's Korner

Izuku was getting ready to leave when Saito stopped him, arms full of bags. "Wait, Little Midoriya, you can't go yet!"

"Is everything okay?" Izuku paused, confused and a little concerned.

"I thought I had more time before I needed to spoil your children silly. I didn't get the warning I would have preferred, but I'll forgive you this time."

"What?"

"I'm sure Eri has clothes and things, but it sounds like she needs to play, to enjoy being a child. Here." She thrust the bag at Izuku.

"These were for my future child? Saito, I'm sixteen!" Izuku protested.

"Little Midoriya, I will support you through thick and thin," Saito said seriously, "and I will do whatever it takes to be the godmother of your children."

He hesitantly accepted the bag, peeking inside. It was filled to the brim with games, board games, card games, and the like.

Saito proudly brandished a deck of cards. "I modified these myself. They were just face cards with heroes on them, but now it's specifically to play Old Maid. I call it Old Flame."

She fanned out the cards, pointing out the one that had clearly been set apart as the Old Maid, framing the scowling face of Endeavor.

Izuku burst into laughter. "I need to show that to Shoto, those are amazing."

Under her breath, Saito muttered, "Oh, I should make a set for him. If Todoroki likes me, he'll help me convince Midoriya that I should be the godmother."

A loud squawk was heard across the station. Sasaki, toting a bag that seemed to be filled with stuffed animals hollered, "I thought of this first, stop stealing my thunder!"

"We're in the same competition as Naomasa! I will do whatever it takes!"

The two officers began squabbling in earnest, and Izuku could only watch on in dismay. "Why did you have all of these things at work?"

* * *

 **A/N: Yes, I am aware that this chapter is a shorter one. You don't need to comment on it, I will remind all of you that I'm a college student with two jobs in my last semester. I love comments, but when the first thing it says is that the chapter is short, it kind of kills my will to write. Anywho, here we are! As you probably expect, things are going to get moving soon, and as promised, once the Overhaul arc is over we're going to move on to where the prologue starts us.**

 **In more exciting news, I GOT FANART! I'll post it to my tumblr later today, so come check it out rogueptoridactyl, the same username I have on here. Kit is beyond excited as well, and she says she expects more. Speaking of Kit, she and I have tickets for the Heroes Rising movie tonight, so it's a good day all around! I hope it's a great one for all of you as well!**

 **-Rogue**


	33. Chapter 33

The next day was the first time Izuku deviated from his routine since coming to the Shie Hassaikai. He got up at the same time, but he cut his training time in half, spending his excess time getting breakfast ready. It was early enough that no one else was anywhere near the kitchen, so he had time to make pancakes and clean up any evidence of such an activity.

A part of him felt like making pancakes in a yakuza compound was fundamentally wrong. Before he had been assigned to this undercover mission, Izuku had never given much thought to what yakuza ate. He supposed he pictured them living off of crime and spite.

Topping the pancakes with berries, Izuku ventured through the compound to Eri's room. He had picked the most manageably sized games and toys to bring with him today.

He didn't know what to expect from Eri. His experience with kids was pretty limited to Kimiko and Kota, and he doubted Eri would be anything like either of them. The long-term trauma she had to carry was unimaginable. His talk with Detective Kimura was helpful, but he still felt like he was going in blind.

Eri apparently woke up fairly early - Chronostasis had given him a rough schedule of what Eri's days were like with the previous few caretakers.

They hadn't done crap for her. She hadn't had any sort of schooling for a while, and they wouldn't play with her, they just shoved more toys at her. Just thinking about it made Izuku's blood boil.

Luckily he had memorized the path to her bedroom, using the secret passageway. If he'd had to interact with any of those dirtbags today, he'd be hard-pressed not to strangle one of them for what they'd done to Eri. The pancakes seemed like an incredibly poor offering, but it was the only thing Izuku could think of. It would have to do.

Eri was already awake, and her scarlet eyes watched him with trepidation. As he stepped in, she hunched in on herself, making herself as small as possible.

Taking her reactions to heart, Izuku paused., carefully setting down the plate of pancakes. He deliberated a moment before slowly reaching up and taking off his medical mask. His acting coach would have yelled at him, the mask was supposed to be a central part of "Deku." But he couldn't be Deku with this little girl, at least not completely.

"My name is Deku, I'm here to be your new caretaker," Izuku said slowly, making sure to smile at her. "Your name is Eri, right? It's nice to meet you. Are you hungry? I made pancakes."

She definitely looked interested, but she looked more confused than anything. "You bought me pancakes?"

"No, I made them for you. And me too, we both need to eat, right?" Izuku looked around the room, spotting a child-sized table that was likely used for coloring or something of the like. "Are you okay with that?"

Slowly Eri nodded. She followed him to the table, but she looked shocked when he sat down across from her, his knees towering above the tabletop.

"What are you doing?" she asked, voice quavering slightly.

"We're having breakfast together, it would be rude not to eat at the same table. I may be stuck in this chair, though."

Eri couldn't help but stare, and Izuku did his best to carry on like this was what it was supposed to be like, because… well, it _was_ what things were supposed to be like. He remembered every meal with his mom, the warmth shared between them even though there were only two of them. He tried to mimic that, give Eri the same feeling of completeness.

She was quiet, but her enthusiasm for the food was obvious. Eri was almost scared to talk, but she was slowly growing more curious about him. Throughout breakfast she hadn't said much of anything, but when he stood to go wash the dishes, she said, "Thank you for the pancakes, Mr. Deku."

"Just Deku is fine, Eri. I'll be back soon."

It was a matter of minutes to wash the dishes and run to his room to grab a few select games, toys, and books for her. She was waiting for him, but she still flinched when the door opened. Other than that, she was just as quiet and still as before.

So he would be doing the majority of the speaking. That was fine, he'd been preparing for this his entire life.

"I don't know your schedule. I know you can probably mostly take care of yourself, but what do you need to do? Have you brushed your teeth? Do you need to change clothes, or brush your hair?" Izuku felt his stomach drop when she just blinked at him. "Let's start over. What are your days normally like?"

"I… It depends. Usually I wake up and have cereal, and then whoever's taking care of me turns on the TV, sometimes they tell me to play. If _he_ wants to test me, I have to take a bath, and then I go to the lab."

Izuku clenched his hands tightly enough that he might have drawn blood. He fought to keep his composure, smiling at her once more. "Well, we're going to do things a little differently. Is that okay with you?"

"Different how?"

"Well," Izuku said, pulling out a notebook and a pencil, "we can decide that together. We're going to have lessons every day, like reading, writing, math, and maybe some quirk control, but-"

"No!" she protested, eyes wide with fear. "I can't- My quirk is really dangerous, Mr. Deku, I don't want to hurt you!"

"Hold on Eri, breathe for me. Can you look at me? Good. You said you don't want to hurt me with your quirk, right? That it's dangerous? That's why I need to help you." He eyed her horn - he had seen studies of similar physical features, it was likely a sort of store of power from her quirk. It was dangerous, especially given how large the horn was at the moment. "This is a secret, but I'm actually a quirk specialist." Among other things.

"A quirk specialist?"

"Yeah, I help lots of people with their quirks," Izuku said reassuringly. He was lying, of course. He had a few semesters left before he would be able to become a licensed quirk counsellor, but she didn't need to know that. "But I can help you learn to control yours so you don't have to be so scared anymore. But if you want, we can wait a few days before we start on that, just get used to each other first. For now, why don't you go brush your teeth."

Seemingly relieved by the direction, Eri slipped into the bathroom to do as she was told. Izuku set about cleaning up from breakfast, trying to formulate a plan from here on out.

Hopefully this arrangement wouldn't be long-term, but they may be waiting a while yet. Based on his interactions with Sir Nighteye, it might take a while for the hero to formulate a plan that didn't result in mass amounts of death.

Whatever time he had as Eri's caretaker here likely wouldn't be long enough to make any drastic changes or impacts on her life, but Izuku hoped it would help her when it came to adjusting to life outside of the Shie Hassaikai.

When she emerged from the adjoining bathroom, Izuku snapped out of the thoughts that were quickly spiralling out of control. After this, he swore he would take some sort of childhood development class, or even just a child-rearing class, because children kept invading his life one way or another.

"Has anyone ever taught you any reading or writing before?" he asked, desperately hoping that she wouldn't notice how nervous and unsure he was. He didn't know the first thing about teaching a child, but he could manage something simple, right?

She shook her head with the same solemnity as before, but there was a light in her eyes that wasn't there before, a spark of interest.

He urged her to sit down before taking out a piece of paper and a pencil, carefully writing two characters he'd seen on a chart in Overhaul's lab. When he was done, he showed it to her. "Do you know what this says?"

"N-no."

"It's your name. It says, 'Eri.' Do you want to learn how to write it?"

"I… Can I really write that?" she asked, equal parts excitement and doubt.

"I know you can," Izuku said warmly. "It's a good place to start, everyone should know how to write their own name."

He spent what was likely a few hours teaching Eri to write her name, watching her carefully copy each stroke in pink crayon. The first time she managed it without him helping her, she didn't smile like he had hoped, but she hugged the paper to her chest, eyes watering a bit.

Lunch time rolled around, and Izuku did his best at making a cute bento for her. The riceballs were a little misshapen, and the sausage he cut up looked a little off - his mother would have been ashamed. But Eri looked subdued, but excited nonetheless.

She wasn't tired after lunch, and when Izuku brought up play time, Eri blinked at him. "What do you mean, play time?"

At that question, Izuku was fairly sure his mind short-circuited. Eri was used to being told to play, but she was always too afraid to be too loud, or rowdy. She didn't know what "play" entailed. The explanation he stammered out was truly abysmal, but he was able to guide her through some of the games he remembered as a child. (He cut out the parts that Kacchan had contributed, like punching and insulting your playmate.)

Eri seemed surprised that not only did Izuku stay with her the whole day, but he acted like he wanted to be there. It was after she'd taken a bath and brushed her teeth that Izuku was brushing her wild hair as gently as possible.

"Mr. Deku?" she asked hesitantly.

"You can call me just Deku," Izuku once again reminded her lightly. "What is it, Eri?"

"Why are you so nice to me? I'm a bad girl, I only make people get hurt," she said, eyes beginning to water.

"I'm nice to Eri because she's my friend," Izuku said, allowing his instincts to take over. "At least, I hope we can be friends. But I think you're kind and sweet, and a fun person to be around."

Izuku wanted nothing more than to steal her away that very moment, stash her away where Chisaki would never find her. He wanted to tell her that he was a good guy that would keep her safe forever.

But he couldn't. For now all he could do was read her bedtime stories until his voice gave out and pray to whoever was listening that she would have pleasant dreams that night.

Roughly a week passed with this new routine, and each day Eri seemed a little less hesitant, a little more trusting. One night in particular she had finally worked up the courage to ask for more stories, and Izuku couldn't find it in himself to deny her.

She was already asleep when he slipped out of her room, fixing his mask back in place. He wanted to get back to his room without interacting with anyone - he wasn't very confident in his ability to stop himself from assaulting a Shie Hassaikai member at the moment.

It wasn't meant to be, however. On his way not only was he stopped, but it was by none other than Overhaul himself.

"Deku, perfect. We were just looking for you," Overhaul said, sounding more pleased with himself than Izuku was comfortable with.

"Oh?"

"There was an… incident regarding one of our normal drug runners, so he won't be able to make an important delivery. Chronostasis and I require Eri for the majority of the day tomorrow, so you're the perfect candidate for the job."

"As you wish," Izuku said, bowing slightly. "When and where is this happening?"

Chronostasis joined them in the hall then, just as Chisaki was giving Izuku the details before striding away, totally satisfied with the kingdom he was building from the suffering of a child.

When Chisaki left, however, Chrono lingered. Even though Izuku couldn't see his eyes, he felt them boring into him.

"I know Overhaul trusts you, but I'll be watching you, Deku. When you prove yourself unworthy, I'll be waiting to ensure your fate."

A chill ran down Izuku's spine at the threat. He'd never seen Chrono in action, but if he was Overhaul's second in command, he was no joke. But Deku wouldn't be intimidated. Grasping his sword handle, he met Chrono's gaze dead on. "You're welcome to try."

His false confidence carried him to his room, where Izuku promptly dissolved into panic.

* * *

Kit's Korner

Eri's eyes were wide and pleading. "Just one more?"

"But your bedtime was half an hour ago, we've read all of the books already," Izuku said, knowing it was already a lost battle.

"Oh." Eri wilted a little. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"Well, I can't really sleep yet either," Izuku lied. "Do you want Cinderella or Momotaro?"

Miles away, Kota stood on top of his bed, wearing his pajamas and his hat. He had already exhausted the majority of the Wild Wild Pussy Cats, most of them already asleep.

"Kid, just go to sleep already, we're begging you," Pixie Bob groaned. "I'm too young to fight with a child."

"Your bedtime stories suck!" Kota said, sticking out his tongue. "I don't want to hear about any more stupid heroes or quirks! I want stories about police officers, like Midoriya!"

Meanwhile, Kimiko peacefully slept.

* * *

 **A/N: It's me! I'm glad I finally get to write Eri, but she's a little hard to write. I know a lot of kids, but none so reserved as her. But, things are moving fairly quickly, I'm excited to see what you guys think. Also, I know the Kit's Korner was short this time, but I personally think right now less is more. But also, I'm the author and I can do what I want. I hope everyone is well, my university is kind of freaking out because of the Corona Virus. Stay safe, wash your hands!**


	34. Chapter 34

The rendezvous to pass off the drugs was at four in the morning. It was an unholy time to make an unholy exchange, and all around Izuku was pissed. He hated the thought of leaving Eri to the hands of those madmen, and he hated that he was helping dispense these drugs. If he could somehow alert someone, a hero, a police officer, anyone, it would make his life infinitely easier.

Sakaki, ever the drunk, was the one waiting to give Izuku the case and send him on his way. The drunkenness hit him especially hard that morning, but Izuku took the proffered case. He could feel Sakaki's judgemental looks, but this didn't stop Deku from propping the case onto the table and opening it to count the cases of bullets inside, despite the way his vision and head swam.

"It's fifteen short," he said abruptly.

"No way, I counted it myself," Sakaki slurred. "What, are you drunk?"

"No, you are," Izuku said flatly.

"Oh, that's right, I am!" Sakaki said, beginning to giggle uncontrollably. "Well, go get your fifteen bullets. Maybe on the way out you could take the stick out of-"

Izuku never heard just where this stick was, he was already bustling towards the lab. He had only needed permission to go in.

The further he walked, the fewer signs of life there were. He and Sakaki were awake, and he had startled a lacky who had been avidly reading a new manga release, but otherwise there was nothing to report.

As expected, the lab was completely deserted. Cases and cases of bullets lined the room, both of quirk-enhancing and quirk-erasing bullets. He got the cases he needed, and he secured them in the briefcase with the others when his eyes landed on a very distinct case.

The permanent quirk-erasing bullets. There were only five, so they must be remarkably hard to synthesize, but their existence was… distressing. What if it seriously endangered some pro in the middle of a fight? There were too many uncertain variables.

Against his better judgement, Izuku popped open the case. These bullets had different shells than any of the others, but that would be a relatively simple fix. Unlike most bullets, the part that actually contained the drug was essentially a tiny syringe that was sealed into the shells that were the correct size and shape to be fired from a handgun. It was fairly simple to pry that unit from the shells and switch them out. Then, Izuku slid the permanent quirk erasing bullets into his fanny pack, feeling like he could be caught at any given moment.

That feeling didn't dissipate as Izuku continued. In fact, it only got worse as he kept going. What if he was exposed, or arrested? How would he explain to his mother why she needed to bail him out of jail? (That was a ridiculous train of thought, but Izuku was all aboard.)

When he forced his mind to focus on other things, Izuku found himself contemplating how truly terrible a briefcase was for drug deals. He was sixteen years old, and he looked like a hoodlum. He had no business carrying a briefcase! If an officer didn't stop and question him on his way, it would be a miracle.

The meeting destination was the stereotypical dark alleyway, right behind a dumpster. The man waiting was twitchy, like it was his first drug deal. It was Izuku's first as well, but at least he was trying to act professional.

"Is that the stuff?"

Izuku made no attempt to move, staring down the man. "I'm going to need to see the money first."

"Of course!" The man scrambled, pulling out another briefcase, because apparently they were now living in the 1920s.

This he didn't care as much about. The man looked unprofessional, but not stupid enough to try and cheat the Shie Hassaikai.

"Just remember which ones enhance and which ones negate quirks," Izuku said airily, swapping briefcases with the man. He didn't wait any longer to leave, ignoring the questions the man called after him.

Izuku was torn about what to do. He didn't want to think about how much money he currently carried, but it had also been strongly suggested that he wasn't needed around the compound for the majority of the day. He didn't trust himself not to barge in and attempt to liberate Eri if he was there, fully aware of what was going on.

Taking a length of rope out of the fanny pack, Izuku tied the briefcase securely to his back, then proceeding to wander the city. It was still much too early for anyone to really be out and about, so Izuku let his guard down a bit, taking in the city lights.

He heard an approaching car, but it didn't concern him much - he mostly felt bad for the sucker that was also out and about this early. It wasn't until the car slowed down that he looked behind himself.

It was a police car.

Izuku's heart began pounding when the sirens blared, and a vaguely familiar voice commanded, "Put your hands in the air."

He did as told. They would believe he was actually a police officer, right? It might be better not to risk it. As the other officer started out of the car, Izuku bolted.

There was a shout behind him, and… did the other officer laugh? Regardless, Izuku ran like his life depended on it. He was definitely outpacing the other officer when a bullet sang through the air, sinking into the dumpster centimeters from Izuku's abdomen.

He yelped, scurrying to get the dumpster between him and the officer, but an extended arm came out of nowhere, grabbing Izuku by the back of his shirt collar. He knew that quirk!

"Officer Tokusei, what are you doing?" Nakamura demanded furiously, descending on the rookie police officer.

"I was apprehending the reprobate, Officer," Tokusei said, shaking Izuku with his extended arm.

"The boy ran away, he didn't try to kill you," Nakamura growled. "You were completely unjustified in using your gun _and_ your quirk, something you _will_ file an incident report on. Now get the boy into the squad car - _without handcuffs."_

Tokusei grumbled as he ushered Izuku into the car, slamming the door behind him excessively hard. It was clear that Tokusei didn't recognize him, even though he had been one of Izuku's main tormentors in the Police Academy. (It wasn't that surprising that Tokusei was only now being assigned to a station, he was almost surprised that Tokusei had graduated at all.)

Speaking of the new officer, Tokusei glared at him from the front seat. "Take off the mask, reprobate."

"No."

The simple denial only set Tokusei off worse, but he couldn't retaliate thanks to Nakamura keeping him in check. The ride to the station was highly entertaining, because as a "reprobate", Deku was allowed to bait the officer.

"What's in the briefcase, kid?"

"Breath mints. Have you heard of the- oh, who am I kidding, obviously you haven't."

Nakamura coughed - though it was definitely a laugh - before saying, "Quiet down, back there."

"Why? I'm a 'reprobate.'"

The next laugh wasn't quite so well disguised, but they were almost to the station anyway. Tokusei practically sprinted inside, crowing, "Prepare yourselves, I've captured a dangerous reprobate!"

Docilely following Nakamura, Izuku said, "Dangerous? You're the one with a gun."

"And you have a sword," Tokusei argued.

"But I didn't draw my sword. You actually tried to shoot me."

A series of gasps rang throughout the station, and he was snatched into a vice-like embrace. "You tried to shoot Little Midoriya? It's only right that we shoot him."

"Saito, we aren't shooting anyone," Tamakawa said sternly.

"It would have been nonlethal, like his foot or something," Saito grumbled.

"I'm fine," Izuku said, pulling off his medical mask.

"You're… You're-" Tokusei gasped, pointing.

"Officer Midoriya is part of this station and currently on an undercover mission," Officer Nakamura said, though Izuku feared for Tokusei's life; the man looked _pissed._ "And if you had listened to anything I'd been saying, maybe you wouldn't have to fill out the paperwork involved in firing at a fellow officer."

Glancing back and seeing a particular light on, Izuku sighed. "Has Tsukauchi slept at all this week?"

"Doubtful," Sohma said, glancing at the door. "He's been preoccupied with planning the raid."

"Have you slept at all, Little Midoriya?" Saito badgered, narrowing her eyes.

"Eh-hem, I think I should go tak with the detective now," Izuku said, fleeing from their questions. He almost made it too, before Nakamura caught his arm. Panicked, he blurted, "Tokusei used to beat me up at the Police Academy."

A series of sharp _What_ s rang throughout the room, and in the sudden chaos directed towards Tokusei, Izuku practically sprinted towards Tsukauchi's office.

The detective's head had been lolling a bit, exhaustion clear in every line of his body. At the sound of his door opening, however, he snapped to attention. "I'm awake, I don't need - Oh, it's you, Midoriya. Wait, what's going on?" Naomasa lurched to his feet. "Are you okay? Are you running from the Shie Hassaikai?"

"No, I'm fine. I just finished an… assignment from them. In retrospect, I should have gotten you samples of all of their drugs while I had the chance, but I did bring you something." He fished the case of bullets out of his fanny pack. "So far these are the only ones they've made that can permanently take away quirks. They're precious enough that Overhaul wouldn't waste them on something or someone that wouldn't make a statement. I replaced them with some of the temporary bullets, so hopefully he'll never know differently."

Tsukauchi nodded, looking a bit overwhelmed. "I can't tell you a specific day, but the Raid will take place soon. Be prepared, your job is only keeping yourself and Eri safe. Got it?"

"Yes, sir."

"We weren't able to get all of the heroes you requested, and All Might was interested in joining the force, but Sir Nighteye vetoes that, as well as Endeavor joining." The detective almost rolled his eyes at the news, but Izuku couldn't help but feel the most unexpected gratitude for Sir Nighteye's (usually detrimental) pettiness.

"As long as everyone knows what to expect we should be able to pull it off. I shouldn't know much about the plan beforehand, just in case Nemoto decides to question me. If I'm compromised, at least the plan won't be."

Tsukauchi's face darkened at that thought. "Midoriya, you are brilliant and capable. But that doesn't change the fact that you are sixteen years old. The way that hero students are trained has changed public perceptions; but you are legally a child. We have no right to ask you to do any of this, but here we are. You have to keep yourself safe, Midoriya Izuku. If anything happens to you, I will never forgive you or myself."

Izuku swallowed, the gravity of the situation weighing down on him. "I'll be careful, but you need to be careful as well. All of you."

He stuck around for a bit, delaying the inevitable. He missed this, feeling comfortable, accepted, and unafraid that someone was going to murder him at any given moment.

When Saito tried to enlist him to help plastic-wrapping everything in Detective Kimura's office, Izuku took his cue to leave. It was midday, and he wanted to be ready whenever Overhaul was finished with Eri.

The way to the compound felt shorter than usual. Maybe it was because a part of him actually _wanted_ to go back this time. The world looked a little brighter knowing that Eri would be free soon. He couldn't wait to see her find herself, maybe actually smile, at least once.

That is, if he was allowed to see Eri again. Izuku wilted a bit at the thought, but willed it away. He was doing this to protect Eri, even if it made him sad.

All thoughts stopped when he got to the side entrance compound. He recognized the gaudy suit that belonged to Lemillion, and he was kneeling down to talk to _Eri._

It seemed no one in the compound had noticed yet. That was good, he could pull off some damage control.

"Eri, just how did you get out?" Izuku asked in the calmest voice he could muster. Red eyes snapped to him, and Izuku could see the conflict warring in the child. He wanted nothing more than to send her with the hero and deal with the repercussions, but he would likely die. That didn't sound like the greatest plan, he'd kind of just promised Tsukauchi he would at least _try_ not to die.

"Deku?" she asked, eyes wide.

"Hey Eri, sorry I was gone too long. Thank you, Lemillion, for making sure my sister is safe."

The hero stared at him just a bit too long. "You're that guy who-"

"-is very grateful you looked after my sister," Izuku said emphatically.

Lemillion, thankfully, caught on, though Izuku could see the suspicion embedded behind his smile. "Okie-dokie then, maybe I'll see you again sometime, Eri."

Once the hero had left, Izuku held a hand out to the little girl. "Are you ready?"

She nodded slowly.

"Good. I need you to keep meeting Mr. Lemillion a secret. Can you do that for me?"

Again, she nodded.

"You're such a good girl." Every cell rebelled, but Izuku strolled back to the compound. "Let's go, Eri. They're waiting for us."

As they walked back to the compound together, he couldn't help but be on high alert. Something had the potential to go very, very wrong, he could feel it in his bones.

No sooner had they made it to the courtyard than Overhaul came storming forward, face twisted in fury previously unseen to Izuku. On instinct, he swept Eri up into his arms, shielding her face from Chisaki.

Keeping his face schooled in an expression of neutrality, Izuku said, "I found something of yours on my way back."

Overhaul managed to stifle the anger burning in his eyes. "Well done, Deku. With that uncontrollable quirk of hers, it would be dangerous to have her running free."

"Of course, Sir. If you're finished with her for the day, I'll just take her to her room." Izuku met the man's eyes, clutching Eri even tighter.

"Very well, Chronostasis and I have what we need for now." Overhaul stalked away, agitated more than usual.

Obediently, Izuku took Eri to her room, tempted to snatch her and sprint away. The little girl was shivering worse than usual, and more than anything, Izuku felt helpless.

"Hey Eri, if you want to we can skip lessons for today," Izuku said gently. When the little girl barely lifted her eyes to him in acknowledgement, he simply didn't know what to do. He wrestled with himself. It would be so easy for him to tell her that she would be safe soon, that he was actually one of the good guys working to protect her.

But he couldn't. There were too many variables, and he couldn't risk the long-term operation. Brushing her hair back from her face, he said, "I want you to know, Eri, I want what's best for you. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you today, but I'm going to do everything I can."

She didn't look up at him immediately, and after a few moments Izuku moved away to find something to occupy them for the day. Because of this, he missed the way that the little girl looked at him, hope and fear warring in her eyes.

* * *

Kit's Korner

"Eri, do your arms hurt?" Izuku asked, setting a handful of markers on the table.

"Only a little," she said, not meeting his eyes. She tugged the sleeve of her hospital gown down a little farther, like she was trying to hide the bandages that covered the entire limb.

"Well I had a fun idea. Should we make your bandages pretty?"

That finally shocked her enough for her to meet his eyes. "Make my bandages pretty?"

"Yeah." Izuku popped a lid off of a pink marker, gesturing towards her arm. "We need to change your bandages tomorrow anyway, so I thought it would be fun to draw on them. Do you want to do that?"

It was still jarring to Izuku that Eri had none of the exuberance of Kimiko, or the abrasiveness of Kota. She was harder to read, but by now he knew that her hesitant nod was her version of unbridled excitement.

"What should I draw then? Any ideas?"

Eri just shrugged, so Izuku drew whatever came to mind for little girls. He covered her arms in rainbows and hearts and kittens. It wasn't amazing artwork by any means, but Izuku never really drew anything other than people for his quirk analysis. Her tiny arms filled with color quickly, but it seemed to fascinate Eri. It calmed her so much that Izuku wasn't ready for it to be over just yet.

"Do you want to decorate mine?" he asked, offering his bare arms.

Her eyebrows furrowed. "But you don't have bandages."

"No, I don't, but sometimes it's fun to draw on something other than paper," Izuku said, holding out an arm.

"I… I don't know what to draw. And you already have spots on your arm."

"You can draw whatever you want. And those spots are called freckles. If you can't think of anything to draw, you could draw a line that connects some of my freckles."

Eri was hesitant at first, but by the time she was finished, Izuku's arms were dripping with color. There were flowers, kittens, rainbows, and several games of connect the dot lining Izuku's arms, and he couldn't be happier. It was proof that his time with the yakuza was well-spent.

* * *

 **A/N: A new chapter courtesy of COVID-19. My university let us out on spring break a week early, but I still had to work, so I got to sit at a desk and answer phone calls for eight hours a day. I'm hoping to finish the Overhaul arc by the end of spring break, and then you guys know what comes after that.**

 **As for COVID-19, take it seriously, guys. I say this because I work for my university in the office that is currently deciding how to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. I've heard a lot, probably too much. I know a lot of my audience probably isn't part of the high-risk population, but it's best to take precautions. If you're not part of the high-risk population, it's still not going to be a fun experience, but we also want to protect others. Take whatever precautions your local authorities are advising, and make sure you're getting your information from reliable sources. In the meantime, stay home whenever you can, maybe read some fanfiction!**


	35. Chapter 35

As time crept by, Izuku couldn't help but feel more and more anxious. Eri definitely picked up on his nerves, and she responded in kind.

The good news, though, was that they were making real progress with Eri's quirk. He'd had his suspicions about the details of it, but Chisaki wasn't very forthcoming about the nature of her quirk, and Eri herself knew almost nothing about it.

It definitely had some correlation with her horn, more specifically, the size of her horn. It fluctuated in size between her appointments with Chisaki, which led Izuku to theorize that the horn worked as a sort of storage for the power of her quirk. At first quirk training had mainly consisted of Izuku trying to ask Eri questions about it that she couldn't answer until he actually saw the quirk in action.

Izuku had found a potted plant that he gave to Eri to take care of. It was supposed to teach children responsibility, or so his favorite parenting blog said, but it was also something Izuku himself had done; he'd adopted his own bonsai tree when things with Kacchan first got really bad. It had been calming to know that there was something that depended on him. He mattered, even if it was only to a plant.

Ironically enough, Katsuki had exploded said bonsai tree one night the Bakugous had come over for dinner. Izuku had nearly - actually, none of this was relevant.

Eri had been enthusiastically tending to the plant when her horn began to glow. Izuku was alerted when Eri murmured, "No, please no!"

The plant was shrinking, and the look of terror on her face was heartbreaking. When Izuku moved to help her, she flung herself backwards. "No, I'll hurt you. You have to stay away! Go get him, he needs to disassemble me."

So _this_ was Eri's quirk, the power to rewind. He'd never seen anything like it, but he and Dr. Meiji had discussed conditions like this, where the user seemed completely disconnected from their quirk.

"I'll stay over here, Eri, okay? But you need to listen to me. Can you do that?" The little girl nodded, eyes fixated on him in desperation. Taking a deep breath, he continued, "I need you to focus, Eri. What feels different right now while you're using your quirk?"

"I… I don't know!"

"That's alright, it will be fine. I know you're scared, but you'll be fine, and I'll be fine. Do you know how I know that?"

"How?"

"Because this quirk is part of Eri. Eri would never hurt someone on purpose, and she would figure out a way not to hurt me." The light coming from Eri's horn seemed to be dimming, so Izuku kept talking. "It's an amazing quirk! You could help a lot of people with it one day. It's probably not registered, so we could pick out a really cool name for it! It's definitely an emitter quirk, and…"

It seemed to calm Eri the longer he talked, and gradually the light from her horn went out. Deeming it safe, Izuku moved to Eri, crouching down to give her a hug.

"Did you mean that, Mr. Deku? Do you think I could help people one day?" Eri asked, so incredibly small. "Is that why _he_ is experimenting still?"

Unconsciously, her arms tightened around the girl. "Things won't always be like this, Eri. I promise."

Afterwards, Eri's quirk training moved rapidly. She was an excellent student when she wasn't so scared of her quirk anymore. It wasn't a perfect thing, she definitely had a limit to how much she could use her quirk, and it would spiral out of control when she was emotional. But Izuku would definitely have to thank Dr, Meiji for forcing his classes to learn the basics of quirk control.

As things moved, Izuku couldn't help but concentrate on Eri's quirk training. He knew everyone was doing all they could to make this a successful operation, and he needed to do his part as well.

No matter how much he prepared, though, Izuku couldn't escape his anxiety. He couldn't help but feel like something was going to go incredibly wrong. He trained himself and Eri and hoped it would be enough.

It was midday when the heroes struck. As deep in the compound as Eri's room was, Izuku was completely unaware anything was happening until he felt something shake the ground.

Wide-eyed, Eri looked at him. "What was that?"

"I don't know," Izuku said, chills running down his spine. "If we have to leave, is there something you want to take with you? I'll see if I can fit it in my fanny pack.

It took her a moment to decide, but Eri finally settled on the paper where she successfully wrote her name for the first time. After securing it in his fanny pack, Izuku paced, wondering how best to prepare. He could just take Eri and run, but it was doubtful that he would survive.

The choice was soon taken out of his hands when the bedroom door opened, revealing Chisaki flanked by Chronostasis.

"We're under attack from the heroes. Brin Eri, we need to go."

Taking ahold of Eri's hand, Izuku followed Chisaki wordlessly. The compound's lights were flickering and in the distance the walls and floor moved, a sign that Mimic was busy with whatever heroes he was trying to slow down. He could faintly hear the strains of fighting throughout the compound, and from what he could hear, the infiltration team was putting his information to good use.

Izuku had made a contingency plan for every member of the Shie Hassaikai. They all felt incredibly solid and doable except for Chisaki. The man was just too powerful, too many things could go wrong.

"We're going to escape, just the four of us," Chisaki said, unconcerned. "You've done an excellent job at getting the child to trust you, to comply with you, so you'll be valuable for what's to come."

Eri whimpered and Izuku's hand tightened around hers. He couldn't risk comforting her in any way, so he just led her down the hallway. They had made it quite a ways when a voice crowed, "I've found you!"

Izuku whipped around to find a furious Lemillion staring at him.

"So one of the hero filth has found us," Chisaki said lightly. "No doubt thanks to your disgusting quirk."

"We need to have a chat, gentlemen," Lemillion said with a sharp smile.

"Nemoto and Sakaki will be here shortly. Take the girl and go on ahead, Deku," Overhaul said without looking back.

Izuku nodded, picking Eri up. Lemillion's eyes focused on him with recognition. "You! How can you let them do this to her? You looked like someone who cared!"

 _Not yet._ Izuku turned his back on the hero, walking away without a word. This hero coud do and think what he wanted, but Izuku couldn't reveal himself yet.

He heard the scuffle behind him - Overhaul and Chronostasis were struggling against the hero. He'd never expected the kid to make it _past_ those two, so Izuku startled when the boy lurched out of the wall, hand outstretched. Deku was able to lunge backwards, so the boy's fingers only snagged his medical mask, ripping it free from Izuku's face.

So Mirio Toogata had improved this much since the last Sports Festival. He was definitely a force to be reckoned with, but he'd been analyzing this hero for years, and there was no way he would last against Overhaul.

"Where are your friends, hero?" Izuku finally asked, staring down the student. "You'll never be able to handle all three of us at once."

Who _the hell_ let Lemillion out here on his own? This was in direct opposition to what Izuku had told them!

Panic welled in his chest, and Izuku could feel that it was affecting Eri too. This hero was going to die in front of them in a few moments if Izuku didn't do something, and if Izuku _did_ do something, then _he_ would be the one to die.

He could only see one potential pathway where they both made it out alive, but it required Izuku to do the one thing he'd sworn to himself he wouldn't do: let Eri go.

"Sir, there's no reason for you to sully your hands with something so simple as this boy. If you would take the girl, I'll meet up with you shortly." When Chisaki nodded, Izuku crouched down, leaning towards the girl's ear. "Listen to him for now, I'm trying to keep you safe. I will protect you."

They had to finish this before Nemoto and Sakaki came, things were already rapidly spiralling out of control.

"I don't think so!" Lemillion moved to grab Eri, but just before he could grab the girl, Izuku swung his katana at the boy's wrist. The sword cleaved right through the appendage, but without damage thanks to Lemillion's quirk. He attempted to get around him a few different ways, but each time Izuku targeted whatever body part was tangible at the time. It was a dance of blades and limbs until he was sure Chisaki and Chronostasis were out of earshot.

Mirio cradled his hand to his chest, blood barely visible on his red gloves. It was little more than a scratch, but it seemed that the young hero wasn't used to getting hit anymore. His smile was absent, and he glared at Izuku with the same hatred that burned in Izuku.

"How could you just _hand_ her off to them?!" Mirio demanded. "You were our informant, I thought you had some heart!"

Neither one expected it, but Izuku's fist met with the aspiring hero's jaw with more force than any of his sword swings had held.

Shocked, Mirio stared at the younger boy that faced him, chest heaving, eyes bright with tears.

"I wasn't going to let Eri see them kill you, she would have blamed herself," Izuku said, every word dripping with acid. "I've had to play along with every terrible thing they had me do these past weeks because I knew she and I both might die if I messed up. And now when the time comes to save her, I had to _hand her to them_ because you can't follow directions! Where the hell is your partner?!"

He was crying and shaking. Izuku felt completely unhinged. He didn't realize his hands were on Lemillion's shoulders, but he was shaking the boy vigorously. He had to stop. He was Deku right now, Deku didn't cry. Letting go of the hero, he stepped back. "If I see you again without a partner, I'll make sure you can't interfere."

Turning away, Izuku felt the chill of Nemoto's quirk - he was questioning someone nearby. Without looking back, he instructed, "Go find a partner or hide somewhere, people are coming."

As a precaution, he placed a hand on the hilt of his sword. Chisaki and Chronostasis were waiting for him, admittedly somewhat impatiently.

"So you made it out alive," Chtono said, sounding the slightest bit disappointed.

"That hero won't be an issue anymore."

"Excellent. He seemed particularly troublesome," Overhaul said. "Come, Eri. Your beloved Deku is fine, let's go find our new home."

Eri turned her red eyes to him, and Izuku gave her what he hoped felt like an encouraging nod. He trailed behind the other three, hoping for some kind of distraction. Surely someone would find them and Izuku wouldn't have to fight Chrono and Overhaul alone.

His hand tightened on the hilt of his sword as he looked at Eri. She seemed to tiny and fragile. In the hallway it sounded like Nemoto and Sakaki were fighting. Lemillion was either being incredibly stupid, or backup had arrived.

It didn't matter much who was out there, without the element of surprise they would likely die. Chisaki's quirk was just too powerful. Izuku needed to act.

"Overhaul, sir, I have a question," he said, doing his best not to let his voice waver. He could feel the urge building, it was almost at its peak. He just had to hold off until - yes, Chisaki was turned his way.

Still unmasked, Izuku sneezed.

Right in Chisaki Kai's face.

The shock on Overhaul's face would have been comical if it weren't going to be one of the last things Izuku ever saw. Taking advantage of the man's surprise, he ducked down, arms outstretched for Eri. He wrapped them around her tiny body, barely noticing her extra weight as he sprinted towards the nearest exit faster than he knew he was capable of.

He had a few precious moments, and Izuku was crazy enough to think he might actually make it when the ground erupted.

Chisaki was overhauling the entire floor as it undulated, tendrils and spikes aiming to kill him. The yakuza boss howled with animalistic rage as Izuku dodged a series of savage, brutal attacks, doing his best to safely transfer Eri to his back. "Hold on tight," he told her, drawing his sword.

"Deku, what are you doing?" she asked, clinging to him desperately.

"I'm saving you," he said, sword slicing through a spike aimed at his head. He was doing okay, but it was disorienting to fight when even the ground was attacking him.

"No, he's going to kill you! Just give me back!"

"I promised to keep you safe!" Izuku said, making the mistake of meeting Eri's eyes. In that brief moment Chisaki struck, a concrete spike impaling his thigh.

It would have pulled him farther towards Chisaki, but Izuku cut through the spike, leaving him free to move with the end embedded in his thigh.

At the sight of blood, Eri grew warm on his back. Based on the light shining above him, Izuku would guess her quirk had activated. That was confirmed when his wound closed, his leg perfectly fine - aside from the spike now embedded in his healed flesh.

Recovery Girl was going to kill him.

"If you hand her over now, Deku, I'll make your death quick and painless. Either way, you'll die soon," Chisaki said, stalking toward him as the ground started to settle. "Eri's quirk can be used for a lot of things, including erasing people from existence."

"That doesn't mean I should let you continue like this." In his periphery he saw one of Chrono's locks of hair speeding towards him, and it gave Izuku a wicked satisfaction to slice it off.

Meanwhile, Izuku's continued evasion left Chisaki absolutely _enraged._ Seeing this made Eri even more nervous, and her quirk spiralled even farther out of control. Izuku could feel it slowly feeding off of him, and it was painfully distracting enough that he didn't see Chrono's minute hand coming, sinking into his shoulder with more force than was strictly necessary. Time slowed down for Izuku, his mind screamed at him to move, but his limbs were so heavy, they wouldn't move beyond an excruciatingly slow pace. With a wicked gleam in his eyes, Chisaki let the ground around them settle, stepping forward and pressing a bare hand to Izuku's face.

Caught between the two quirks, Izuku felt more pain than he'd ever imagined possible. As Chisaki attempted to Overhaul him, it felt like his very cells were ripping themselves apart while Eri's quirk forced themback together. He was simultaneously freezing and burning, both dying and more alive than ever.

He could feel the moment Chrono's quirk wore off, but Izuku couldn't move if he'd wanted to. He wasn't sure if he was even breathing anymore. He almost wished he wasn't just so there was a chance for this to be over.

Then, somehow it miraculously stopped.

Izuku immediately collapsed to his knees, then the ground, using what little control he had left to fall so he could cushion Eri's fall.

He would have thought he was dead if not for the weight of Eri on him. His eyes were still open, and they tracked the movement of what was going on in front of him. Processing any of it took more effort than Izuku would have ever thought necessary.

A red glow caught his gaze, and Izuku was met by the comforting sight of a very pissed-off Eraserhead. Behind him, a number of officers and heroes swarmed the place.

Chrono was waving a gun around, and it even went off a few times, but he was swarmed before he was able to pose much of a threat. Chisaki savagely attacked several officers, but ironically enough, without his quirk he didn't make for much of a threat. A familiar figure rushed forward, landing a solid punch to Overhaul's throat.

Eri shifted on his back. "Deku, are you okay?"

The world was closing in on him, rapidly growing dark. His body didn't want to, but he managed to say, "We're safe," before he saw no more.

* * *

Kit's Korner

"I know how you feel, Tsukauchi, but you're the most reliable person I can think of that isn't essential to the Shie Hassaikai operation. I really need the backup."

Naomasa sighed, running a hand over his face. He could see Gran Torino's point, it was a valid one. Logically he knew that he was most needed for investigating whatever this new threat was, but everything in him wanted to deny the man's request, say no and go make sure Midoriya made it out okay.

"You're right, Torino. You're always right, I just… This is my officer's first major operation. He's undercover, and I can't look his mother in the eyes and tell her that I wasn't even there when her son got hurt, or even died." Naomasa felt heavy, kneading his temples. "I just need to talk to someone to make sure they'll look out for him, make sure he doesn't try to sacrifice himself."

"You wouldn't have sent this officer if he wasn't capable," Gran Torino said, crossing his arms. "I'm sure he wouldn't do anything stupid."

A shiver ran down Tsukauchi's spine. Midoriya was brilliant, surely he wouldn't… He couldn't think of this anymore, he was going to drive himself crazy. "Sir Nighteye specifically requested this officer, I'm sure he has some sort of plan pertaining to Midoriya's safety."

He just hoped the words were true.

"You'll find the teams you've been divided into on these papers," Sir Nighteye said as a way to close the briefing.

"Wow, that was… not much of a plan," Saito said, trading looks with Sasaki. "At least he's mostly following the suggestions Little Midoriya gave us."

"These teams are kind of terrible, though," Detective Kimura said, looking through the list. "First of all, who decided that this was a good first mission for first-year hero students? Look at them, they're babies!"

"They're the same age as Little Midoriya," Kondo said, disapproval coloring her voice. "Who is also definitely too young for things like this."

"Wait!" Sasaki crowded the others, her wings unconsciously fluttering as she craned her neck. "That one over there, that's the Uraraka girl that Little Midoriya likes!"

"What?" Collectively, the officers' heads swiveled to where Sasaki pointed.

"Oh NO!" Detective Kimura wailed. "She's even more precious than you said! She needs to be protected at all costs! Now we have two kids to watch over!"

"Are any of us in her group?" Sasaki asked, suddenly pouring over the paper.

"I am," Kondo said, "as well as Officer Tokusei."

Saito scoffed. "Enjoy Rock Lock, Tamakawa. I've heard he can be a nightmare."

"I'm in one of the other first year's groups," Sohma said. "Red Riot? That's the one that was on the news a while ago, wasn't it?"

"Eraserhead, weird hero name," Saito said. "Wait, Tsukauchi's done some work with him, right? He works at U.A.? He shouldn't be too bad, I think he knows Little Midoriya."

"Lemillion. U.A. might train the best heroes, but they don't pick the best hero names," Sasaki said. "It looks like Lemillion and Eraserhead will be working together, and I'm assigned to Lemillion, so we're basically partners!"

Detective Kimura shook her head. "Sir Nighteye really should have consulted one of us about these arrangements."

* * *

While Kimura admittedly participated in her fair share of antics at the station, she felt somewhat responsible for her officers as they were sent to their various groups. Saito and Sasaki in the same group was a disaster waiting to happen - if the yakuza base was destroyed, they probably wouldn't get fined for the damage, right?

This was her first mission back after becoming a mother, and she wasn't sure how she felt about that. She couldn't help but worry over what would happen to her baby if she weren't able to come back, and the hero she was assigned to didn't necessarily inspire confidence.

He was a sweet kid, but he was a _kid._ Suneater was one of the most promising U.A. students, but he currently looked like a stiff wind would knock him down. It was a little painful to watch, actually, she just wanted to give him the confidence he should have at this point.

She'd heard great things about Fatgum and his little sidekicks from various police officers, and she hoped that they were able to live up to the hype. It still enraged her that hero students were allowed on such a dangerous case at all, and it was even more frustrating when Suneater asked that they leave him to deal with three upper-level yakuza alone, and the older heroes _agreed._

Sure, Eraserhead had done quite a bit to help the kid, but Kimura wasn't about to leave the child, especially with Midoriya's express instructions ringing in her mind. For whatever reason the kid thought it was important not to be alone, and she trusted Midoriya more than was probably logical.

"Go on, I have this," Suneater said, not actually making eye contact.

"I believe you, but I'm not leaving you alone," Kimura said, strapping anything of value or of use to her body before buttoning her jacket. She'd read the files on the Eight Expendables, and she refused to help them in any way.

She recognized these three. Kimura couldn't remember their names, but she remembered the quirks with vivid accuracy: Crystallize, Larceny, and Food, which were all problematic in their own ways.

Eraserhead had knocked out the Food one, and it seemed like Suneater was handling the Crystallize one fairly well. Larceny was problematic, though, because he was so unpredictable. Kimura did as she'd agreed, hanging back for the most part as the fight progressed. It seemed the villains didn't even notice she was there, one of the advantages of being police.

People often underestimated the traditional methods of keeping the peace.

Suneater was being overwhelmed. The odds weren't great to begin with, and these were men with nothing to lose. She wanted to let the kid handle things, but when Larceny stole his food packs, Kimura's instincts were screaming to help the child.

"Hey blondie, catch this!"

Along with her shout, Kimura tossed her wallet at the startled man. While his eyes were trained on her wallet, she rushed him, roundhouse kicking him squarely in the chest. His shock made it easy to wrestle him into a pair of handcuffs, and the Food guy was only beginning to stir, so his were even easier to slap on.

By the time she'd retrieved her wallet, Suneater had finished things with the Crystallize man, and he was staring at the ground even more determinedly. "Th-thanks for your help."

"Don't worry about it, kid, you did well." Kimura couldn't resist ruffling his hair, even though he turned bright red at the action. She was going to say more when something shiny on the boy caught her eye.

Her hands grabbed his hand, covered in crystals. "Did you eat one of the crystals from that man's quirk? What if it was toxic, or poisonous or something? I understand your quirk, but you can't just go around eating everything you come across, it's not safe! What if you choked? You can't-"

Kimura cut off when a cough sounded from the doorway. Nakamura stood there, looking serious as ever. "Detective, I believe we should stop mothering the hero and catch up with the rest of the group."

"Ah," the detective said, turning the slightest bit red. "You're correct, Officer Nakamura. We should get going."

Suneater was a little slower to leave the room, instead looking at the ground like he wished it would swallow him without a trace.

"She's like that at the station, too, if it's any consolation," Nakamura said, not looking at the boy. "Detective Kimura just had a baby, so she's especially… maternal right now."

* * *

Sasaki knew that joining the police force was bound to come with a level of derision, especially considering what she looked like. Modelling agencies had tried recruiting her for years thanks to her "angel wings" granted to her from her quirk, and she was tiny all-around. Little Midoriya was already taller than her, which she was used to. People tended to be protective and demeaning, it was just a fact of her life.

She didn't need it from the heroes too, though.

Lemillion clearly had talent, he was a promising young hero that she was sure would break into the top ten in no time. But the second he smiled and told her that he would make sure she was safe, it had taken all of Sasaki's willpower not to claw his eyes out.

Their group was the largest thus far, delving directly into the compound to hopefully extract Little Midoriya and Eri. Sir Nighteye was acting like the police officers didn't exist, and Eraserhead seemed to be the only of the heroes who was communicating effectively with his team. Why did Gran Torino have to poach Detective Tsukauchi? Naomasa would have definitely kept everything in line, especially with Little Midoriya's life at stake.

Eraserhead and his team headed the group, and they were moving along fairly well until the building started moving like it was alive. Catching a glimpse of something in the distance, Lemillion ran off without even sparing a glance at the rest of them.

"I'm going to find Lemillion," Sasaki said to Eraserhead, wings unfurling. "He shouldn't be alone."

The hero nodded, and she was off.

She probably shouldn't have gone off alone, and finding him in the maze of the compound was a nightmare, but luckily Sasaki's quirk provided her with an… intuition when it came to directions.

She left her phone tracker on, knowing that Saito would direct Eraserhead. It took longer than she wished to find Lemillion, and when she did, he was just pacing in a length of hallway looking like he was in the middle of an existential crisis.

"You! You know that we were assigned teams for a reason, right?" she demanded. "What's wrong, why did you stop?"

"I… sorry about that, I got too caught up in my head, it won't happen again," Lemillion said, eyes downward.

Something had happened there, but there was no time to decide what brought about the change in the hero. "Come on, we should keep moving. It's not safe to stay-"

She was cut off by the sound of approaching footsteps. On instinct she positioned herself in front of Lemillion, wings fanned out and one hand on her gun.

"What's this? A police officer protecting a hero? How truly entertaining," a man in a long black trench coat said, waving around a gun. This would be the man with the Confession quirk.

A wave of dizziness hit Sasaki, and by the looks of things, it was effecting Lemillion as well. Ah, the drunk. She'd almost been looking forward to meeting this one.

"Officer, I can handle-"

Two gunshots ripped through the air, felling the drunk from the ceiling, and leaving the confession man - was he supposed to look like a priest? - collapsed on the ground clutching his leg.

Sasaki barely noticed the effects of the drunk's quirk fade. "Some people just don't know how to handle their alcohol."

* * *

If you asked the entire station who the least worried during missions was, they would probably agree that it was Kondo. If you asked who was the least serious during missions, they would doubtlessly say Saito.

During this mission, though, she couldn't find it in herself to joke.

She found herself on edge the entire time, Saito couldn't help but picture all of the things that could go wrong, all the ways that Little Midoriya could get hurt. Just for fun, her mind occasionally threw in the mental image of Inko sobbing over her son, but she needed to focus.

Admittedly, her role was fairly minimal for the most part. She directed Eraserhead according to Sasaki's directions, but she didn't engage with any of the yakuza. At least, she didn't until she saw Chisaki forcibly trying to dismantle Little Midoriya.

Her blood boiled, and Saito roared, "DON'T TOUCH HIM!" She had a vague recollection of propelling herself over the uneven floor, and then her fist was plowing into his esophagus.

She could only hope it made Little Midoriya proud.

* * *

 **A/N: Welcome back! I was really tempted to stop where Izuku sneezes on Overhaul, but Kit convinced me that that was too cruel. Anyway, this is the longest chapter of Detective Midoriya to date, which is partially thanks to the fact that my state was just recently quarantined for Coronavirus. I actually wrote this fairly quickly, and I would've had it out days ago, but I was lucky enough to help my family fix some of our septic pipes. In the words of my brother, it was a pretty crappy job.**

 **I got more fanart! You can check it out on my tumblr (same handle as I have on here). Kit almost cried when I sent it to her. We also had some rousing debates on marginalization and the way it's handled in My Hero Academia. (In reality it was just me ranting at her and Kit telling me that I've been an English major for too long.) Why am I saying any of this? Who knows!**

 **To get down to business, I'm going to write one more chapter before the time skip, and we all know what happens after that. I was wondering though, if you guys wanted anything extra. I could do a sort of Q &A, or a side story or something, or I could just go straight into the time skip. Let me know what you guys think, and I'll announce what's going on after next chapter! Keep yourselves and others safe, guys. Stay inside, read fanfiction, whatever it takes. **


	36. Chapter 36

Izuku woke with a jolt, heart racing. "Where's Eri?" His surroundings were unfamiliar, which only made him more agitated. "Eri? Eri!"

He was working himself into a frenzy when a strong, familiar voice said, "Calm down, Midoriya. It's alright."

Forcing himself to calm down, Izuku finally noticed that he was in a hospital bed, and in the bed next to him was -

"Detective Tsukauchi?"

"It's good to see you awake, Midoriya. How are you feeling?" the detective asked with a tired smile.

The detective looked _terrible._ Wires seemed to sprout from him, monitoring various things, and a constant, comforting _beep_ filled the room.

"What happened, Detective?" Izuku demanded, not noticing the way his own heart monitor was picking up speed. "Which of the Eight Expendables did this?! I thought my plan-"

"I wasn't at the raid, Midoriya. Your injuries were the worst ones out of anyone on our side, your plans kept them all safe. _Especially_ Eri."

"They're okay?"

"Every last one of them."

"Where is Eri?" Izuku asked, looking around like she might magically appear.

"She's just fine. She didn't have any injuries, they just have her in quarantine while they assess her control over her quirk."

"Where's everyone else? And what happened to you?"

Tsukauchi laughed a little, though he almost immediately winced in pain. "You've been in a coma for three days, Midoriya. I'd be furious with you if I weren't so glad you're okay."

"Three days?!"

"You were caught between two quirks that were both trying to destroy you, Midoriya. They may have cancelled each other out, but it put immense strain on your body. The doctors honestly didn't expect you to wake up for at least a week. Speaking of which," Tsukauchi said, pushing a button, "we should probably let people know that you're awake. The nurse, at least."

Izuku squeezed his eyes shut, shaking his head a bit. "That makes sense. My head feels… foggy."

"Yeah, I hear comas will do that to you. But to answer your questions, Midoriya, everyone else is gone because it's the middle of the night. It's actually a miracle we convinced them to leave. Your mother insisted on staying at the hospital all hours of the day until they agreed to put you in the same room as me so you would have company. Oh, and I forgot to mention, Eri is just right next door."

"Thank goodness. So what happened to you?"

"I'll tell you my story, but you have to tell me yours afterwards."

"Deal."

So the detective told Izuku about his assignment with Gran Torino. Partway through, a nurse came in, delighted that Izuku was awake. She checked his vitals and asked a few questions, jotting notes down in his chart, but Izuku only paid as much attention to her as necessary, captivated by the description of the man called Gigantomachia. His quirk was fascinating, but the longer Naomasa spoke, the more Izuku was consumed with the need to stop the man. He wanted to meet Gran Torino as well, an older hero that, shockingly, Izuku had never heard of before.

The story was short, largely because he wasn't conscious for long. However, his stress was visible when Izuku began his story.

The nurse had left shortly after he began. Even with his visits, there were a lot of things about being undercover that Izuku hadn't had time to tell him about. Every so often the detective's heart would speed up, but it usually got back under control fairly quickly.

However, when Izuku got to the raid, Naomasa's heart rate was off the charts - several nurses came rushing in, a crash cart in tow.

"I'm fine," Tsukauchi wheezed. "Actually, do you have any antacids?"

Unsettled, the nurses inched away, glancing at his vitals.

"Let me get this straight. You were facing Chisaki Kai _alone,_ the man obsessed with purity and cleansing the world of disease. And _you sneezed on him."_

"Y-es," Izuku said uncertainly.

"This isn't supposed to be biological warfare! He literally could have killed you with his pinky!"

"To be fair, he tried and it didn't work," Izuku said with a yawn. "Oh year, did they take the spike out of my leg?"

"You had a spike in- of course you did. Go to sleep, Midoriya, I think we both need it."

Izuku yawned again. "I'll stop getting stabbed in the leg when you stop getting thrown into trees."

"Touche."

He was a little wary of going to sleep again. What if he slipped into another coma? But he was exhausted, and he fell asleep listening to the monitors that bore witness to them living on.

Waking was much kinder the second time around. Sunlight streamed through the room's window, and Izuku felt a hand in his. Cracking his eyes open, he found the person he missed the most at the other end of that hand.

His lips pulled into a half smile. "Hi mom."

Inko's head jerked up from where she had been looking at her phone. "Izuku? Oh, my baby!"

The Midoriyas embraced in a flurry of laughter and tears. Inko pulled him close, murmuring, "I was so worried. I'm so happy you're okay."

He let himself bask in his mother's presence, bask in knowing that he was _safe_ again. He refused to be ashamed of the tears he knew were well-earned.

"The rest of the family is here!" a remarkable loud voice proclaimed. "At least, those of us who aren't on duty at the moment."

Saito stood in the doorway grinning widely. She was accompanied by Sasaki, Sohma, and Nakamura, all bearing gifts of some sort.

"You did it, Little Midoriya!" Sasaki said, her own eyes shining with tears. "Everyone made it out safe, and as far as the yakuza know, you're either dead, in police custody, or on the lamb."

"Someone had to have seen me!" Izuku protested.

"Nope," Saito said, popping the p. "Only Chisaki and Chronostasis know you betrayed them, and they're locked up so tight that their subordinates don't have a prayer of even communicating with them."

"And we have anyone even remotely powerful from the Shie Hassaikai locked up as well. The Deku persona lives on!" Sasaki said.

"Wow, someone in the hospital really likes you, Little Midoriya. It looks like your leg is completely healed where they had to remove the spike," Nakamura commented.

"Let's not talk about that," Inko and Tsukauchi said in unison.

A light knock interrupted the joyful reunion, and a bruised Sir Nighteye stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"You're alright then, Midoriya?" he asked hesitantly.

"I feel a little like I got hit by a train, but I'm okay other than that," Izuku said with a smile. "I hear things were a success - no casualties!"

"Yes, and I came to thank you, Midoriya. Much of our success can be attributed to you," Sir Nighteye said, still shifting from foot to foot.

"Okay, that is complete B.S.," Saito said, looking like she was seconds from exploding. "We were privy to almost all of the information Little Midoriya gave you, and we were there at your briefing. That kid laying in that bed is the _only_ reason that no one died."

"Officer Saito, you're out of line," Tsukauchi warned.

"With all due respect, sir, she's right," Sasaki cut in. "A lot of information was omitted during the debrief. He didn't even warn people he had an undercover agent in the field."

"Oh, _that's_ why Lemillion attacked me," Izuku muttered.

"He _what?_ " several voices chorused.

Inko stepped forward, a storm brewing on her face. "You're the hero that asked specifically for my Izuku, correct? You wanted him to be a part of this mission?"

Unexpectedly cowed by the tiny woman, Sir Nighteye said, "Well, yes."

"And I agreed with the assurance that his safety would come first. And you _forgot_ to inform the team he existed."

"He also treated the police like we were a bunch of nameless minions to do his bidding," Sasaki said with the attitude of a child telling on someone they greatly disliked.

Naomasa's face was stone. "How so?"

"Well, he didn't keep officers together based on their stations, instead he assigned them to heroes alphabetically," Sohma explained. "Saito and Sasaki were in the same group without anyone else from our station to supervise."

Tsukauchi and Izuku gasped in unison.

"If they hadn't been worried about Midoriya, they could have created a national incident!" Tsukauchi spat, his heart rate monitor rapidly speeding once more.

"We behaved," Sasaki pouted. "It could have been Kimura and Saito."

"But he barely treated us like people. As far as I can tell, we were just supposed to be extra numbers to give the heroes backup, which is frankly a little insulting," Saito said.

"Isn't your quirk supposed to be foresight?" Nakamura interjected. "Even if you chose not to use it, one would think you would be at least a halfway decent strategist."

Izuku silently agreed with what his coworkers were saying, but he hadn't been prepared to see the dangerous glint in their eyes. They looked ready to kill Sir Nighteye, and at the moment Izuku honestly wouldn't be surprised if they did.

"As you can see, Sir Nighteye, I'm just fine," Izuku said, very much attempting to send the man on his way. "Thank you for your concern."

"You must understand, Midoriya, I really did care what happened. I-"

"No, you don't need to say or explain anything, Sir Nighteye. Police officers have been the butt of society's jokes for decades now. Your misconceptions are just a result of systemic prejudice," Izuku said, smiling angelically. "It's just like the prejudice against quirkless people, a result of ignorance and lack of exposure."

Every eye was riveted on Izuku, every breath held for fear of enraging the beast they sensed before them.

"I don't know what you've seen in the future for police officers or quirkless people, or if you've even cared enough to look. It doesn't matter, because _I will change it_ ," Izuku said gravely. "Everyone is important, and everyone can make a difference."

"Well said, Little Midoriya!"

"Listen, Midoriya," Sir Nighteye said, the smallest bit of his facade cracking. "I know you know about my quirk, but I didn't use it for good reason!"

"I don't need to know the reason," Izuku said calmly. "But you - and most heroes, actually, need to know that you are still humans, just like the people you protect."

"Just what do you all think you're doing?" a nurse shrilly asked from the doorway. "A room this size will only accommodate five visitors at a time, it's posted outside. At least one of you has to leave."

Saito made eye contact with each of the other officers before shrugging. "Inko is definitely not leaving, and _we're_ not leaving…"

"Actually, Detective Tsukauchi looks like he has a few last words for Sir Nighteye. I was wondering if I'm cleared to see Eri yet?" Izuku asked with pleading eyes.

"She's supposed to be in quarantine because of her quirk, but she's been asking about you nonstop. Because of that and the fact that you know more about her quirk than anyone else, we've decided it's going to be better for her emotionally if she sees you," the nurse said, retrieving a wheelchair from the corner of the room.

After helping transfer Izuku, the nurse directed him to the correct room. "We'll let you reunite without one of us in the room because medical personnel seem to frighten her. Mrs. Midoriya, would you be willing to go with him to make sure he doesn't strain himself?"

"Oh, absolutely!" Inko said, hesitantly positioning herself behind the wheelchair.

Izuku blissfully left Sir Nighteye to the mercy of the other officers. He couldn't quite explain it, but he _needed_ to see Eri, to make sure she was alright. When he finally did lay eyes on her, something in him eased, and tears pricked at his eyes.

"Mr. Deku?" she asked in a tremulous voice. "You're okay, right?"

He laughed, wiping away a few tears. "I'm just fine, Eri, just really tired. Are you okay?"

"I sometimes get a fever, but they say it's because of my quirk." Something in her faltered, and her eyes slid to her hands. "I'm sorry, Mr. Deku, even after you tried to teach me, I can't control my quirk very well. I guess you wasted your time."

She startled when he rested a hand on her head. "I thought we got past you calling me 'Mister,'" he teased her lightly. "But can I tell you a secret, Eri?"

"What?"

"Deku isn't my real name, it was a secret name I used so the Shie Hassaikai wouldn't know who I really was. I pretended to be like them so I could save you. I'm actually a police officer."

Her eyes were wide when they met his. "Like the ones who helped save us?"

"Exactly like the ones who helped save us. A lot of them are my friends, actually. You can meet them later, if you want. But can I ask you for a favor?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"Well, it's actually two favors," he said, scratching the back of his head. "First, I'd like you to call me by Izuku, my real name. And you're allowed to tell me no, but can I please have a hug?"

Eri thought for a moment before holding out her bandaged arms. "I would like a hug, please."

That was all the permission he needed to cradle the child close to his chest, feeling oddly paternal as he did so. She was warm, and so very fragile, and Izuku could have held her like that for hours if he hadn't heard the familiar sound of his mother sniffling behind him.

"Oh, Eri, this is my mom. Mom, this is Eri."

The child's eyes flicked between the two of them. "You look the same, almost."

"Yeah, we look a lot alike, don't we?" Izuku said with a laugh through his tears.

"You're both crying. Is something sad?" Eri asked.

"No, we both just cry a lot," Inko said. " _Especially_ when we're happy. It's nice to meet you, Eri."

"It's nice to meet you too," she said hesitantly. "But I don't remember you crying when you were being Deku."

"I had to work really hard not to cry a lot," Izuku admitted. "It was part of me pretending to be like the rest of the Shie Hassaikai."

They stayed and chatted with Eri as long as the nurses would let them. She was doing as well as she could, given the circumstances, and Izuku wanted to fight to stay with her when they were asked to leave.

"Can we go somewhere to talk for a minute before I go back?" Izuku asked, pleading with his mom.

"Yes, I think that's a good idea," Inko said, pushing him past his room.

They found themselves at an empty waiting room. Izuku felt a little guilty when he realized just how familiar his mother was with the hospital.

"Mom, I-" he started.

"Izuku, I-" she said at the same time.

"You go first."

"No, Izuku, you go first."

Izuku bit his lip, worried at how she would react to what he had to say. "Mom, I know we're used to it being just the two of us, and I already brought Shoto into our lives. But… I can't just leave Eri to deal with things alone. She's already been hurt too much, and I can't stand the thought of her being put into the system and passed around when her quirk becomes too much to handle. We both have full-time jobs now, so I can help out too. I guess… What I'm trying to say-"

"Izuku, I think we should adopt her," Inko said gently. "It might be messy and complicated, but I saw that little girl, alone in the room next to you for three days. She looked so lost and lonely, and it broke my heart. I didn't know who she was, but she changed completely when you walked in. You make her feel safe, Izuku. She needs that."

Trying (and failing) to blink away tears, Izuku embraced his mother. "Thank you mom. Thank you so much."

It seemed that whenever Izuku wasn't visiting Eri, he had multiple visitors at a time. Other police officers were a given. They were actually such frequent visitors that they had to be assigned visiting times, to give others a chance to see Izuku.

"Good work with the reconnaissance, Problem Child," Eraserhead said, standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. "You're one of the best undercover agents I've ever seen, and I'm an underground hero. Although, I will take that back if you keep pulling stunts like the Chinese finger trap and the sneeze."

"Don't worry, just about everyone has threatened me with bodily harm if I try anything like that again," Izuku said with a smile.

"The station and I are contemplating investing in a protective bubble," Detective Tsukauchi said.

"Well don't worry, kid," Aizawa said. "Your involvement has been kept from the media, as well as Eri's existence. And like I promised, I won't mention you or anything you did to any other heroes. As far as they know, I don't even know you."

The smallest bit of tension in Izuku eased. He knew it was an irrational request of the heroes, but he couldn't face All Might, not yet at least. He was happy with his lot in life, but he felt queasy at the thought of the number one hero taking this from him as well.

"Thank you, it means a lot to me," Izuku said. "While you're here, Aizawa, I wanted to ask you and Detective Tsukauchi something. I… I talked with my mom, and we wanted to see what the process of adopting Eri would be like."

He held his breath, uncertain how they would react. The two men traded glances before Aizawa said, "I win the bet, then."

Tsukauchi groaned. "I was sure it would have been earlier."

"Midoriya is a planner. He eliminates uncertainties before he acts, like he did with Todoroki," Aizawa said, producing a manilla folder. "Here's the beginning of the adoption process. If you and your mother fill this out before five o'clock tonight, we can try to expedite the process. Hopefully she can be released to you, when the hospital deems her safe to leave. She would have to have quirk training sessions, but that can be discussed at a later date."

Izuku accepted the folder, shortly afterwards wiping away tears. "Thank you, both of you."

"Don't worry about it, Midoriya. Just try not to make adopting children a habit of yours," Aizawa said.

Izuku opened his mouth to reply when he was cut off by a clamour in the hallway.

"I think this is the room number they gave us," one voice said.

"Or we could just text him."

"Please, keep your voices down! We are in a hospital!" another voice said, rising above all the others.

Aizawa suddenly looked supremely uncomfortable. "That's my cue to leave."

Using his own brand of sorcery, Aizawa disappeared into the hallway, completely unseen by his students that entered only moments after.

Uraraka was the first through the door. "Midoriya, you're okay! I was so worried when I heard what happened."

Izuku was going to respond, but he was cut off by the other four spilling into the room as well. Shinsou looked supremely annoyed next to Iida, who Ojiro was trying to convince to lower his voice. Shoto trailed behind, looking like he dearly wanted to take a nap.

"Hey, everyone," Izuku said, straightening up in his bed. "It's good to see you all."

"You as well, Midoriya!" Iida said, executing his signature hand chop. "We were happy to hear of your excellent recovery!"

"How are you feeling, Midoriya?" Ojiro asked quietly.

"Oh, I'm doing just fine!" Izuku assured them. "I'm feeling better every day."

Shinsou looked him over with his tired eyes. "If you're stuck in the bed too much longer, I might actually have a chance at keeping up with you the next time we go running together."

"Shinsou, that is completely inappropriate for someone currently confined to a bed!" Iida berated.

"Oh, lighten up," Uraraka said, shoving the boy's shoulder. "Midoriya laughed, and he and Shinsou have known each other longer than we've known him. Shinsou wouldn't overstep his bounds. But really, how are you, Midoriya? And how did you manage to be the only person in the entire operation who got seriously hurt?"

"Oh, being undercover tends to put you in the line of fire," Izuku said, attempting to brush it off. "I knew there were a handful of U.A. students, but I didn't know you were part of it. Were any of the rest of you involved?"

"It was only me in this group, but there were also a few others from our class, as well as a few of our upperclassmen," Uraraka said cheerily.

It was forced, but Izuku kept a smile on his face when he remembered his encounter with Lemillion. He was spared from answering when Detective Tsukauchi came limping into the room. "Good news, Midoriya! The physical therapist said- oh, you have guests. Hello, I don't know all of you. I'm Midoriya's supervising officer for the Provisional Police Program. Detective Tsukauchi."

Introductions were made and Tsukauchi made his way back to his bed. Curious, Izuku asked, "What good news did you get?"

"Our physical therapist said that we should both be released tomorrow, or the next day," the detective said with a smile. "We need to go to our follow-up appointments, of course, but that should give you plenty of time to get a room ready for Eri."

Izuku felt his heart stutter in his chest. "Do you mean…"

"Because it's such a high-profile case I may have pulled some strings and gotten the adoption process expedited. As of this morning, your mother is officially approved to adopt Eri."

Izuku couldn't stop himself from crying, a huge grin stretching across his face, while his guests were left in a spiral of confusion.

"Who's Eri?"

"Adoption?"

Shoto yawned. "Does this mean I'm getting a new sister?"

"Why would she be your sister?"

It was a circus as Izuku tried to explain exactly what was going on, although that seemed to be the precedent set by U.A. students. He was happy to have them there, but he couldn't help but be the slightest bit relieved when they left. The second they were gone, he whipped out his phone to deliver the good news to his mother, who was making up for lost shifts. They cried together a while, and finally it was time to tell the most important person: Eri.

He was allowed to walk on his own now, so he carefully made his way to the next room over. Eri was busily coloring, but she looked up to see him. "De-Izuku! Hi!"

"Hey Eri, what are you drawing?"

"I was practicing my name some more," she said, showing him the careful kanji. "I want to be better at it, more like you."

As with most time spent around Eri, it was all Izuku could do not to cry. "You're getting really good! Soon you'll be able to write anything! But Eri, I have something to ask you."

"What?"

"I… Before long, you're going to be able to leave the hospital," Izuku started, "and you're going to need somewhere to stay."

"Oh," Eri said, in a tiny voice.

"I talked to my mom, and we wondered if you wanted to come stay at our house," Izuku said hesitantly.

"For how long?"

"Forever?" he cleared his throat. "Like always, you're allowed to say no. I told my mom how much I would miss you if you were gone, and she already likes you a lot, so we were wondering how you would feel if we adopted you."

"You would really want to?" Eri asked, eyes shining.

"More than anything."

A small smile spread over her lips. "I would like that very much."

* * *

Kit's Korner

Eri's eyes were wide when she walked into the house for the first time. "It's so bright, your windows aren't covered."

"We like the sunlight, and if the weather is good we open the windows for fresh air," Inko explained with a smile. "Welcome to your new home, Eri."

She stopped and looked at just about everything, clearly curious, but hesitant to ask a question.

"You show her around, I'm going to go start dinner," Inko said, making a beeline for the kitchen.

"Okay mom!" Izuku smiled, taking Eri's hand in his. "Do you want to stay in here and look a little longer, or do you want to see your new room?"

Eri thought for a moment. "I would like to see my room."

"Okay, that's where we'll go. If you have any questions, just ask me."

She looked at the rest of the house with complete wonder, especially her bedroom. Eri looked euphoric (well, as euphoric as she ever looked) by the time dinner was ready.

Inko and Izuku did their best to keep up some small talk to put the newest Midoriya at ease. Eri seemed to relax marginally before she said, "Izuku, I did have a question."

"Yes Eri?" Izuku asked before shovelling a bite of food into his mouth.

"Are you my new dad?"

Izuku almost immediately choked on his bite of food, coughing uncontrollably. When he recovered, he wheezed, "What makes you ask a thing like that?"

"Well, I was curious, so I asked one of the nurses what having a dad was like. She said they were people who played with you, and made food for you, and lots of other things, all of the things you do with me."

"No, I'm not your dad," Izuku said a little frantically. "I'm just too young to be a dad! But you can call me big brother, because they do the same things as dads."

"Oh, that makes sense," Eri said, continuing her meal as if she hadn't just given Izuku a heart attack.

* * *

 **A/N: I forgot to mention last chapter that Kit has hated the idea of Izuku sneezing in Overhaul's face with her whole soul when I first pitched it to her. She's accepted it now, but she still hates the Chinese finger traps. Sorry for any typos towards the end, I just wanted to be finished typing and go to bed. **

**I've started writing the first chapter after the time skip already, so prepare yourselves. I won't agree to a timeline for the next chapter, because I'm not great at meeting those. I thought I was going to have tons of free time thanks to quarantine, but my Hebrew professor had different plans. Enjoy the extra long chapter of fluff! Keep yourselves safe and as healthy as possible, stay home, do your part to limit the spread of COVID-19. In the meantime, prepare yourselves for the time skip! I can't wait to bring it to you guys!**


	37. Chapter 37

Two Years Later

Izuku's arms burned from the weight of the child he carried. He cradled the boy's head to keep from jostling him too much as he sprinted away from the human trafficker Izuku had been after for weeks.

"Mori, I could use some backup!" Izuku called a little desperately. The other police officer was perched cross-legged on the hood of their cruiser.

"Sorry, no can do. I was told I have to get my paperwork done by Friday _or else_ ," Mori said, not even deigning to look up from the papers in his hand. "I assumed that was why they paired us together, because you're amazing enough not to need a partner."

"Give the child back!" the man howled, enraged. He was obviously under the influence of some substance or another, which really did not bode well for Izuku at the moment.

"Mori, please!" Izuku begged. "Do it for the kid. Just tase him."

"That sounds like a rough time, Little Midoriya. I just have so much paperwork…"

"I will help you!" Izuk pleaded, yelping when the criminal got a little too close for comfort. "Just TASE HIM."

The other police officer shifted a bit, but before he could actually assist Izuku in the situation, a familiar voice shouted, "How dare you try to abduct a child!"

None other than Death Arms intervened, quite literally sending the kidnapper sailing with a single punch. Izuku slowed, torn between gratitude for being saved and resentment towards the hero.

His entrance had been showy enough that a crowd was gathering around Death Arms, impressed civilians clamoring to get a closer view. The hero didn't give them his attention, though, instead placing a meaty hand on Izuku's shoulder. "That was brave of you, kid, but you should really leave the saving to the professionals. What would you have done if you or the child got hurt?"

When Izuku met the hero's gaze for the first time in three years, it was pure ice. "It's not 'kid,' it's Officer Midoriya. In case you didn't notice, I _am_ one of those professionals. Thank you for your assistance, I leave the perpetrator in your more than capable hands. I have a child to reunite with his family."

Walking towards the police cruiser, Izuku's posture was ramrod straight, his movements almost mechanical. Once there was enough distance between him and Death Arms, though, Izuku softened. Looking at the child, he asked, "Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"

"No, I'm fine."

"Can you tell me your name?"

"Tsutsui Yuki."

"Well, Tsutsui Yuki, your parents are waiting for you at the Police Station. Are you ready to see them?" Izuku asked. The kid was about Eri's age, and Izuku couldn't help the way his heart twisted seeing how scared the boy was.

He gently helped Yuki into the squad car before facing Mori. "For that stunt I get to drive, and you have to do the paperwork for this case."

Finally Mori looked up. "But I couldn't help you because of paperwork! Do you really think that more paperwork will solve anything?"

"You know the policy. You can do your paperwork in the station, and if it doesn't have any sensitive information, you could even take it home. But in the field is definitely allowed, especially when your partner and a civilian are in danger!"

Once inside the car and seatbelted, Mori pouted. "That guy didn't even touch you. You were perfectly fine!"

"I had to be saved by Death Arms," Izuku sighed as he started the car. "Do you know how humiliating that is?"

The drive to the station was short, and the reunion between Yuki and his parents was joyful. It had become something of a common scene to Izuku over the past three years. (Being involved in so many child abduction cases seemed statistically impossible, but it was like Izuku was a child magnet.)

Once the chaos subsided, Izuku was taking care of paperwork - from his most recent cases, like a responsible adult - when Saito came and leaned on his desk. "So you saved another kid, huh? Did you use the Midoriya Snatch 'n Sprint?"

"The _what_?" Izuku choked.

"You know, that thing you do with all the kids," Sasaki said, passing by. "When you take off running and you just scoop up the kid without even slowing down. I swear you barely even seem to notice the weight of the kids."

"Am I that predictable?" he asked, mildly horrified.

"Fifty-three instances of you using the Snatch 'n Sprint technique over three years," Tamakawa said tiredly from where he was organizing old files. "You've been so successful that the Police Academy is considering putting it in their textbooks."

"Every time you play with my son I'm afraid it's just to practice the Snatch 'n Sprint, but Aki loves when Uncle Midoriya goes fast with him, so, eh," Detective Kimura said with a shrug. "And out of simple curiosity, Midoriya, with all of your weight training, do you think that you could successfully execute the Snatch 'n Sprint on, say, a teenager?"

Izuku thought for a moment, internally wondering when his life had spiralled so far out of control. "Well, I-"

"Don't answer her, Little Midoriya," Sasaki cut in. "She knows that if she has such valuable insider information then she's disqualified from the bet."

"There's a bet?!"

"Oh honey, you have -"

"Um, Officer Midoriya? You're needed in the staff room," the new secretary, a timid man named Watanabe said, looking like he feared for his life after cutting off an officer.

"Thanks, Watanabe," Izuku said with a smile, hoping it would put the man at least marginally at ease. He didn't know much about the man, he always seemed to disappear whenever Izuku had a few spare minutes to talk.

"N- no problem," he stuttered before practically sprinting away.

Izuku had absolutely no idea why he might get called to the staff room, he just prayed that it wasn't some cruel prank courtesy of Saito and Kimura. The last time he'd fallen victim of them, he'd found glitter in his hair for the next six months.

When he got to the door, he opened it hesitantly, just in case. He wasn't sure what he expected, but he was greeted by a shout of, "SURPRISE!"

One of those confetti poppers exploded in Izuku's face, and someone pushed him forward into the room.

"What's going on?" Izuku asked, bewildered by the chaos around him.

Someone had put a birthday hat on Detective Tsukauchi, and an even worse assortment of decorations than usual lined the room. They were new, which means that they were just tormenting him at this point. Yet another gender reveal banner proudly stretched across the room. It was supposed to proclaim, "It's a girl!" but "girl" had been scribbled out and replaced with "detective."

Naomasa cleared his throat. "Midoriya Izuku, we the Japanese Police Department formally congratulates you on the achievement of becoming our newest and youngest Police Detective to serve on the force."

Izuku almost fainted then and there. In a strangled voice, he asked, "D-do you mean…"

"You passed the test!"

"You're a full detective now!"

Officer Sohma cleared his throat. "We all pitched in to get you a gift as well."

Hesitantly taking the proffered box, Izuku was almost scared to open it. When he did, though, the tears he was desperately trying to avoid spilled over.

"We special-ordered it," Saito said brightly, taking it out of the box with a flourish, holding it out for Izuku to try on. "It should be just your size."

It was a trench coat just like Detective Tsukauchi's, complete with a hat that matched the older detective's as well. Putting on the trench coat and hat was almost a religious experience, and Izuku sniffled pathetically, unwilling to sully the tan fabric with his tears or snot.

Kimura shoved a box of tissues at him. "Naomasa told your mother the news earlier, and he made sure to take her a crate of these when he did."

"C'mon, stop your crying, Detective Midoriya," Nakamura said with a rare smile.

Blowing his nose, Izuku pulled himself together. "I'm honored, and I'll do all in my power to best serve the citizens of Japan."

Saito ruffled his hair, leaving the hat skewed at an angle. "We've already seen that these past years, Little Midoriya."

Kondo coughed. "Should we stop calling him Little Midoriya now that he outranks us?"

"Not while I breathe!" Sasaki declared dramatically.

The little celebration lasted much like that for the rest of Izuku's shift, and when it was time to walk home, he did so with his new coat slung over one arm. It didn't feel real, he scarcely believed he was a police officer already. But a detective? It felt impossible.

Idly, he wondered what he would wear. Their station, more than any he'd observed, was fairly lax on dress code for the detectives. Naomasa wore more formal clothes because he chose to, but Kimura wore whatever she pleased. As a plainclothes detective, Izuku would do well to have the element of surprise, which means he would probably benefit from wearing something appropriate for his age. A part of him would miss his police uniform, though, with the comforting weight of his badge and all of his patches.

He made it to his house faster than he'd expected, snapping out of his thoughts when he started up the steps to his house.

When the door opened, Shoto looked up from where he was doing homework on the couch. "Welcome home, detective."

Izuku couldn't help the radiant grin that spread across his face. "What are you doing home? It's a school night."

"Eri called me," he said, scribbling down another answer. "She talked to Nexu on my behalf, and not even he could say no to her."

"Do I smell pancakes?"

"Also Eri's doing. She insisted on making them herself."

"The other officers frequently called Izuku's home life "disgustingly domestic." After adopting Eri, Inko and Izuku had found a new house, even closer to the police station as before. It was jarring, doubling the size of their family in a matter of months, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

Leaving Shoto to do his homework, Izuku slipped into the kitchen. Eri stared intently at the pancake currently in the frying pan, her tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth.

"We're in for a delicious meal tonight!" Izuku said with a smile.

Eri startled before she _beamed_ , throwing her arms around Izuku. "You're home, Dadku!"

"And you're making pancakes! You better be careful or you're going to spoil me, Eri," Izuku said, ruffling her hair.

She just rolled her eyes. "You're being silly again."

"Whatever you say, squirt. I'm going to let Mom know that I'm home."

Inko's bedroom door was closed, so he knocked lightly before cracking it open. "Hey Mom, I'm home."

"Oh, Izuku!"

His sobbing mother collided with his chest, tears soaking through his shirt at an alarming rate. Past her, the room was an expanse of white, every surface covered by piles of used tissues. The fact that she had any tears left to shed was simultaneously impressive and concerning.

"I'm so proud of you," Inko sobbed. "But you have to put your safety first, okay?"

"I promise, Mom," Izuku said, crying himself as he hugged her back. "I'll be the best detective you've ever seen."

"You already are, Izuku," Inko said, patting his cheek. "And I know you'll keep changing this world to be a better place."

* * *

Kit's Korner

 _Early After Eri's Adoption_

Between Izuku's (now legal) efforts and Aizawa's efforts, Eri's quirk was very manageable. She was a conscientious, if timid student, in every aspect of learning.

It was one of the days Eri had training at U.A. Izuku wouldn't be done with his shift at the police station in time to pick her up, so Shoto volunteered to walk her home. The two had an odd dynamic, they didn't fully understand one another, but there was a… fondness between them.

Those nights were Izuku's favorite, dinners with the whole "family." He hurried home as fast as he could, wanting to treasure every moment he could.

Eri was waiting for him when he opened the door. "Deku! You're home!"

He caught her in his arms, giving her a hug. "How was your day, Eri?"

"Good, I learned a lot!"

"That's good, and I want to hear all about it later," he said, kneeling down next to her. "But Eri, remember how I told you that you can't call me Deku? I'm not mad at you, it's just important so I can keep it a secret and help even more people, like when I helped you."

"Oh, I'm sorry," Eri said, looking down at her feet. "I forgot."

"You don't have to call me Izuku, if you don't want to," he was quick to say. "You can make up your own nickname for me if you want. That way it will be special, just for you and me."

That caught her attention. "Really? I can call you something only I would call you?"

"Yep."

She thought a moment, her brow furrowing in concentration. Izuku could see the moment it clicked for her, looking up excitedly. "I could call you Dadku!"

Izuku choked. "What?"

"Yeah, Dadku. It sound like Deku so I'll remember it, but Dad instead!"

"Why dad?" he asked in a strangled voice.

"I heard someone talking about Moms and Dads today. I have a Mom now, so I know what that's like, but Shoto explained what a Dad is supposed to do. They're supposed to protect you, and teach you, and take care of you, and you do all of those things for me. That makes you my Dad, right?"

Izuku gave plenty of flustered explanations and protests, but in the end, Dadku stuck.

 _That Night, After Dinner_

There were more than enough pancakes for everyone. It was a happy dinner, full of laughter and tears, not necessarily in that order. Inko had a few things to take care of, so it was left to Izuku, Eri, and Shoto to clean up after their meal.

Eri watched Izuku and Shoto washing and drying the dishes respectively. Her time in the Midoriya household had made her more comfortable, bolder. "Shoto, do you have Uraraka's phone number?"

A plate nearly slipped out of Izuku's grasp as Shoto said, "Yes, why do you ask?"

A devious grin spread across Eri's face. "If we have a party to celebrate Dadku's promotion we should invite her."

Izuku covered his bright red face with an arm. "Eri, that's really not necessary."

Shoto's facial expression didn't shift in the least, but he got the same devious look in his eyes that Eri had. "But there would be a lot of people at the party. Maybe we should invite Uraraka to dinner sometime."

They would have continued, but Izuku placed the last plate in Shoto's hands. "I just remembered, I have some paperwork to take care of," he said, fleeing the room.

* * *

 **A/N: Finally the title of the fic is accurate! There are a lot of things in this chapter that I've been planning for a long time, and there are even more to come. I had the idea to call Izuku's move the Midoriya Snatch 'n Sprint around Chapter 4, and surprisingly Kit was in full approval. She's going to hate that plainclothes Izuku means the reappearance of the Save My Fanny Pack, though. Anyway, we finally made it to the time skip! I know how anxious everyone is about this arc, so it won't be long before you all get answers about what happens before and after the events we see in the prologue.**

 **I hope all is well with each of you. I know your comments make me feel less isolated with the quarantine in place, and I hope that this story can do some of the same for you. Keep yourselves and others safe, guys.**

 **-Rogue**


	38. Chapter 38

Both his family and his coworkers wanted to throw a "real" celebration for his promotion, but it wasn't meant to be. His being appointed as a detective coincided with ah spike in crime the likes of which hadn't been seen since the days before All might. Between his schoolwork and detective work, Izuku's days were full.

And it appeared that they were only going to get fuller. About a month into things, Naomasa called Izuku into his office with that pinched look he got whenever upper management wanted to send Izuku into a highly dangerous situation.

"Please, sit down, Izuku," Naomasa said, kneading his temples. "I'm sure you've noticed the unrest in town lately, it's pretty much impossible to miss. Two rival gangs are particularly concerning to the upper management, and they want to send you undercover among them."

"So am I supposed to join the Viper Gang, or Dead Eyes?" Izuku asked, barely even blinking at the information.

"We're sending an undercover agent to both, but this will be the other candidate's first mission, so he'll be going to Dead Eyes. _If_ you go-"

"So Viper Gang for me. That's probably for the best, that would be a lot of chaos for a newbie to deal with. So how long do we think this mission is going to be? Eri has-"

"-a dance recital next month, I know. The whole station has known for weeks. Things are heating up quickly, which makes it risky. We just want you to get enough information to be able to take them down before things escalate too far. And neither gang is as… centralized as the Shie Hassaikai were, so you'll have a lot more wiggle room than you did then."

"So I could probably do some home visits this time around?" Izuku asked.

"Yes, you'll be able to visit your family this time," Naomasa said with a sigh. "I suppose it would be no use at this point to tell you that I personally recommend taking this job."

"You would be correct. But don't worry about me, I'll make sure that I stay as safe as I can."

"I'll believe it when I see it," Tsukauchi snorted. "But please do try to limit the damage you take this round. Think of your mother's heart."

"Your guilt-tripping has gotten a lot better. If you had brought up Eri I might have actually hesitated to take the job." Izuku drummed his fingers on the desk between them. "So is there anything unusual about the job I should know?"

"The officer assigned to Dead Eyes is a rookie, he's only been out of the Academy for a few months. Ordinarily we wouldn't put someone out with so little experience, but he's our only willing participant that's in the right age demographic. He'll be here shortly so you can give him some pointers and plan on how you're going to coordinate your efforts."

Izuku took his time flipping through the file. "I hate seeing someone so young being put on the front lines like that. He looks like a baby."

Naomasa stared at him flatly. "The fact that you see no irony in that statement means it's time for you to get out of my office."

Snatching the file, Izuku smiled angelically. "Blame it on Sir Nighteye, he's the one who got me in too deep. I can't just _stop_ being Deku."

"But you _can_ care more about your well-being. Now shoo, you have detective duties to attend to."

Saluting, he strolled one door over into his own office. Even though he'd only had it for a few weeks, it was fully decorated, courtesy of Eri and Inko collaborating with a number of the officers. Stain's sword was proudly hung on the wall, only outshone by the numerous pictures Eri had drawn for him. Inko had gotten him a coat rack specifically to hang up the coat the station had gifted him. There were a number of other chairs for when he had to speak to others, but they were usually covered in quirk analysis that he needed to mail off.

Speaking of analysis, he had some requests piling up. The other precincts had caught on that he was a sucker and would frequently send them analysis if they were really stuck on a case.

He took enough time to clear of one of the seats of files before diving in. He was eyeballs deep in one said case when there came a light knock on the office door.

"Midoriya, he's here for you," Kondo said, shoving an unfamiliar police officer inside before abruptly leaving.

The officer was young, and twitchy enough that there was no doubt he was barely out of the police academy, even if Izuku hadn't gotten a look at his file. He could appreciate that Takane seemed to take his job seriously - he was the image of regulation dress code, from the exact degree he hung his holster on his best to how immaculately his blond hair was groomed. Like Izuku he had a plainer face, which would be perfect.

"Um, sorry to bother you, but I think I'm in the wrong place. I'm looking for Detective Midoriya."

Izuku stood, silently wishing that he would have put more effort into actually cleaning up his office. It was kind of a disgrace _without_ this officer doubting that he was actually a detective. "No, you're in the right place," he said, holding out a hand. "Detective Midoriya Izuku, at your service."

The officer froze, brown eyes impossibly large. "M-Midoriya? _The_ Midoriya Izuku? I hadn't heard that you'd made detective, sir, my apologies."

"No, no! There's no need to bow," Izuku said, frantically waving his arms. "I definitely don't look old enough to be a detective, I'm not offended. I promise!"

He snapped out of his bow, his back ramrod straight. "I am Officer Takane Sei. If I may be so bold, detective, the stories of your perseverance are what got me through the academy. I had not realized you were so accomplished at a young age."

"Really, you don't need to be formal around me. We're going to be working on this case together, so we need to be comfortable with each other. Please, sit."

Takane relaxed slightly, but only slightly. He was pale, and he didn't seem fully in control of his speech. "You're actually the reason I became a cop, Detective. I always wanted to be a hero to help people, but I couldn't pass the entrance exams. I was discouraged, but then I saw you and everything you did during the Hozuki incident, That helped me realize that I don't have to be on the hero billboard to achieve my dreams."

"Really? The Hozuki incident? Most people have never even heard of it," Izuku said, amazed.

He looked down. "I'm… I'm kind of a fanboy. I follow Edgeshot really closely."

Izuku stuck out a hand. "Officer Takane, welcome to the force. I think we'll get along famously."

The two shamelessly talked about heroes for a good hour. Takane was deeply passionate about the more obscure, underappreciated heroes, so Izuku didn't even have to try to steer the conversation away from All Might.

"And that is exactly why Mr. Brave should be ranked higher than he is!" Takane said, slapping the desk between them.

"I'm not saying you're wrong," Izuku said, holding up his hands. "I'm just saying that he needs to do something a little more to set himself apart from other heroes if he wants to boost his rank."

"He makes a _sword_ out of his _hair,_ Midoriya. I only wish my quirk were half that cool!"

"Well Stain made a much bigger name for himself using that sword," Izuku said, wildly gesturing at the katana hanging on his wall.

"No," the officer hissed, looking faint. "Say it ain't so. You're also the Midoriya that took down Stain? _You're the Midoriya that started the quirkless movement?"_

"I started the what?" Izuku squawked.

"You don't know about it? Most people forgot about how Stain was taken down a month or so after it happened, but it started an uproar in the quirkless community. It started with one girl selling quirkless pride t-shirts online, but now it's a whole movement. I think they're planning something big this year, something public."

"Okay, now you're just messing with me."

Takane's eyes caught the Save My Fanny Pack and a stupid grin spread across his face. "Is that the fanny pack that started it all?"

"That's actually fanny pack number four. After the first two we learned that we needed to special order them with the most durable material we could find."

"Then what happened to the third one?"

"Yeah, Little Midoriya. What happened to the third one?" someone shouted from their desk. "Remind us."

Izuku exhaled slowly in an attempt to fight the redness creeping up his face. "It was a… casualty in one of my previous undercover operations."

"A casualty?"

"I was fighting a villain that wouldn't be affected by my sword, so I threw the fanny pack at them."

Takane looked confused. "And the villain stole it?"

"Ate it, actually," Tamakawa said, slipping into the office to set a file onto Izuku's desk. "The villain ate the entire thing and earned Midoriya his first and thus far only formal reprimand."

" _Et tu,_ Sansa?" Izuku asked.

"The Don't Rape Me Kit ain't cheap!" Kimura yelled.

Kneading his temples, Izuku said, "Let's go elsewhere to discuss undercover tactics. It will be quieter there."

Throughout the rest of the day, Izuku was repeatedly impressed by Takane. He had the makings of an excellent police officer, and he picked up on what Izuku taught him with no problem.

Before they realized, their shifts were over and it was time for Izuku to go pick Eri up from her weekly quirk training with Aizawa.

"Here's my phone number if you think of any more questions," he said in way of parting. "You'll have a little more time than me before you get sent out. Just remember what we've planned together and that you're not alone."

Waving goodbye, Izuku turned his back on the officer, completely unaware of the lengthy journal entry that would feature him that night, one not dissimilar to his own multitude of analysis notebooks.

He hadn't gotten his jog in that morning, so Izuku decided to run to U.A. Besides, it would give the staff a few extra minutes with her, something they never complained about.

This time, when he made it past the gates, he heard familiar voices in the courtyard. It wasn't the voices he was expecting, but they were all drowned out by an exuberant, "Dadku!"

Izuku managed to catch Eri solely out of reflex, but his already good day got ten times better just from seeing her smile. "How was your lesson, pipsqueak?"

"Great! Mr. Aizawa didn't have to stop my quirk at all!"

"That's amazing! We'll have to celebrate at home tonight!"

"Also Uraraka told me she would stay to talk to you," Eri said in a truly abysmal attempt at a whisper.

Izuku felt his face flush, and he glanced over to see where none other than Uraraka stood. Thankfully, he was safe from making a fool of himself; Shinso, Ojiro, and Iida waited for him as well.

He shifted Eri only his hip, carrying her like he always had, no matter how big she was now. "Hey guys, how are you?"

"Busy, but good," Ojiro said, wagging his tail for Eri's benefit, noticing how her eyes glued to the appendage. "Aizawa has threatened us with expulsion three times today, but I think he's mostly sick of senioritis."

"Well you guys need to stick it out, you just started this school year," Izuku teased.

"Speak for yourself, Midoriya," Shinso yawned. "You're already exactly where you want to be, I don't think you can talk to us about senioritis."

"Shinso, you must be respectful to him!"

"It's fine, Iida," Izuku said. "Besides, my third college degree disagrees with you, Shinsou."

"Touche."

"How are you, Uraraka?" Izuku forced himself to ask, his cheeks only slightly flushing.

"Oh! I'm good, just busy like everyone else," she said.

"Eri and I need to get going soon, but before I leave I have something I wanted to warn you guys about. That goes for you too, Aizawa."

A few of the students began, "Wha-" before cutting off with a scream as Aizawa appeared, dropping down from a nearby tree.

"At least one person has taken my teaching to heart," the teacher grumbled. "Did you all really think that I would leave you in charge of Eri without an adult?"

"So what did you need to tell us, Midoriya?" Iida asked.

"I'm going on another undercover mission soon," he said, bouncing Eri slightly. "I realize most of you haven't worked with my undercover persona, but he's gained… notoriety. Deku cannot be compromised, or there will be a lot of trouble for a lot of people. If any of you end up working with this case, or any of them, for that matter, I need you to act like you don't recognize me at all."

"That's been the agreement from the start," Aizawa said. "I feel like you're not saying something even more important."

"If it feels natural, do mention that we've got an undercover agent," Izuku said seriously. "Don't act like you know the agent, either, but acknowledge their presence. There needs to be an explanation for why all of these organizations keep getting busted, and Deku can't be the common thread. I need to be arrested with everyone else."

"Are you… Are you sure?" Ojiro asked.

"That's how it has to be. The police are already well versed on how to handle the situation, but Deku needs to be secure."

"You can trust us," Aizawa said seriously.

* * *

Kit's Korner

Takane left Midoriya's police station feeling a bit numb. His mind kept replaying certain scenes and stories. The most frequent, however, was the first time he had ever seen Midoriya.

He was just an officer at that point, barely noticeable among the swarm of other officers. Honestly, the police had always been sort of invisible to Sei, he was just there to see Edgeshot in action. The fight was exciting until the heroes started to falter, and the whole situation seemed hopeless. Then, at the last moment, this tiny police officer rushed forward, bringing the villain to his knees with a well-aimed pitcher of lemonade he'd commandeered from a nearby stand some neighborhood kids were running. Somehow he'd figured out that the acidity from the lemons would counteract the villain's quirk, and then it was all over.

A number of people rushed to thank or congratulate the officer, but he ignored all of them, vaulting over a chain-link fence to assist the family that the villain had been using as hostages. Sei had been so interested in this officer that he stayed and watched even after Edgeshot had left. The officer talked to the family for quite a long while, and they visibly relaxed. He helped them to a police car before vaulting over the fence once more, pulling out his wallet and handing what was likely far too much money to the children still occupying the stand.

Six months later when he found himself beginning at the Police Academy, the Hozuki incident was brought up in class. The teacher looked weary as soon as it was brought up.

"Listen, the officer responsible for that is… unusual. Midoriya has a gift for quirk analysis beyond anything we've seen before. While he is gifted and has been instrumental in a number of cases, clever tricks are no substitute for experience and technique. Open your books to page…"

The instructor rarely had anything kind to say about Midoriya, but Sei was quickly finding himself a role model. The tales of Officer Midoriya were traded amongst the trainees, some with derision, some with awe.

When he'd been assigned as a Detective Midoriya's partner for this mission, he'd assumed that the detective was the infamous officer's father, but no. His partner was _the_ Midoriya. There were a handful of other infamous officers at Midoriya's station as well, but Sei didn't think he had the brainpower to deal with it at the moment.

His reaction on first meeting the detective wasn't… great. He felt like he had made a fool of himself on several levels, but somehow Midoriya made it far less embarrassing. In a rare turn of events, somehow the detective was even _more_ of a fanboy than Sei.

But the final and potentially biggest shock came when they began planning. Not only was Midoriya his role model, the kid who took down _Stain,_ but he was also _Deku,_ the cryptid of Musutafu. He himself had an extensive notebook trying to piece together any and all information about the man. He wasn't a villain or a vigilante, really, but he was dangerous, and no one could agree on any specifics, not even what he looked like. All that was known for sure was that he had a scar through his eyebrow and he carried a katana. Hair color, eye color, face shape, no one could ever agree. It was just assumed that you would know him when you saw him.

Takane looked across his various notebooks in dismay. How? How were they all the same man? And how was he _younger_ than Sei?!

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you all so much for your support on the latest chapter, and throughout this fic as a whole! I can't believe so many people have stuck it out with me, it warms my cold, dead heart. I am alive, I have not had Coronavirus. What I _have_ had is the last round of finals for my bachelor's degree, submitting my application for grad school, stressing out about getting accepted to my program, and a massive case of writer's block.**

 **Anywho, big things are happening! I want to spend a little longer than usual with the upcoming chapters, but I don't want to keep you guys hanging like I have been for the past month. So, we're having a Kit Takeover! She would like me to inform you all that she doesn't actually write anything, she just "gives really bad ideas." Her words, not mine. Those are a lot faster for me to write, so I've got a bunch of little stories to keep you guys entertained. I also wanted to have a Q &A portion, asking questions to either me or Kit. Leave any questions you have in the comments. They can be about the fic (although don't expect spoilers), or about our lives in general (within reason).**

 **In the meantime, I really hope all of you are okay. This is a scary time, both because of the pandemic, but also because of the mental effects of the quarantine. We need to stick together now, and I want to be here for you guys. I'm going to be trying to update more often now that I don't have schoolwork, and I might be starting a new fic. I've mentioned it before, it's a found family type story with Izuku, Inko, and Aizawa. Feel free to talk to me through my tumblr, or if you can think of any other type of communication, I would be happy to talk. And with that said, I will talk to you all next time!**


	39. Kit Takes Over

**Note:** **Just a reminder everyone, this isn't a normal chapter! This is just a fun story that takes place during the time skip.**

"You want to _what_?" Izuku asked, pausing outside the door to Valiant's dojo.

"You don't have to if you don't want to," Inko assured him over the phone. "Eri seemed interested in it, but it takes groups of three to participate. It's a competition, but there are classes that teach you everything you need to know.I already checked, it should fit into your schedule, but don't worry about it too much."

"Sure, I'll let you know soon, Mom. I love you."

Their conversation haunted him as he changed into his dojo clothes. It distracted him so much that he completely forgot about Ojiro's tail in the middle of a sparring match. It plowed into his abdomen with the force of a bulldozer, leaving Izuku collapsed on the mat, winded and bruising.

"Midoriya, are you okay?" Ojiro asked, dropping to the ground next to him.

"Fine," Izuku wheezed, not even trying to sit up yet. "That… that was a good move. You should keep it."

"I appreciate that, but I know that it's not good enough to take you down like that. What happened? It isn't like you to get distracted, Midoriya."

He finally forced himself to sit up with a groan. "My mom called right before I got here. Nothing's wrong, she just had an idea that I'm not sure how I feel about."

"Well what was it?" Ojiro asked, unaware that his tail was wagging.

"I… Eri saw something about taking makeup classes and at the end there's a competition. It needs three people, so it would be my mom, Eri, and me. There's nothing wrong with it, and Eri would love it, it's just not something I've ever thought about." Izuku smiled awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "It sounds kind of stupid now that I say it out loud."

"I would feel a little uncomfortable about it too," Ojiro said. "But it could be useful, couldn't it?"

"Huh?"

"Oh, Hagakure was talking about what a shame it was that she could wear makeup regularly like the other girls. She also said something about Bakugou, but he started yelling before I could really understand what she was saying. But makeup is more than you and I think about. If you got good enough, it could really help you on your undercover missions. It would take a while to put on, but if you needed to run away you could just have some makeup remover with you or something."

Izuku mulled the thought over. He had heard that makeup could make someone look like a completely different person when used the right way, but he'd never paid attention to it. Maybe it would be helpful. Besides, he couldn't _actually_ deny Eri anything.

"You're right, that could be extremely useful," Izuku said, thinking about it a bit more. After a few moments, however, his lips spread into a grin. "So you talked to Hagakure about this, huh? What else have you been talking to her about?"

"We've just had normal classmate conversations," he said, avoiding Izuku's eyes. "Nothing special."

"Your tail is wagging, Ojiro. Is it because I'm talking about Hagakure?"

Abruptly standing, Ojiro said, "Valiant, Sir, I want to get your advice on my latest attack idea."

"You can't run forever!" Izuku called.

"Eri, I think that this foundation would match Mom a little bit better," Izuku said, offering a different tube of makeup. "Should we try it?"

"Let me wipe off the brush first."

Inko held perfectly still as Eri concentrated on evenly spreading the foundation across her face. It wasn't perfect by any means, but Izuku found himself enjoying himself considerably more than he had ever expected himself to. It was detailed, precise work, and it posed a challenge that Izuku would never have expected. Makeup was truly an art, and Izuku was playing at being an artist. But, in the meantime, he was enjoying just being with Eri and Inko.

"Will you do her eyes? You're a lot better than me," Eri said, finishing up the foundation.

"Sure, but you tell me what colors I should do."

"I think Mom looks really pretty in the pink ones! And remember, we have to practice what the teacher just taught us. I think you should do it, contouring is hard. I'll do the lipstick."

The two worked until the teacher stopped by, examining the work that they'd done. "You need to blend this out just a bit more, but that's actually very impressive for a beginner. Well done, Midoriya family."

They didn't win the competition, but the makeup didn't stop there. Eri frequently asked Izuku to help her do Inko's makeup, or to occasionally do hers. On a handful of occasions she wrangled Shoto into being their model. It never took much convincing, at one point Shoto confided in Izuku that he found the feeling of makeup brushes against his face to be relaxing.

It was a skill that Izuku was determined to keep a secret. Naturally it was doomed not to stay that way. Fate had been conspiring against him that day, it had to be. The officers were no strangers in the Midoriya household, but it had to be Saito who happened to walk in on Izuku finishing Inko's makeup, directed by Eri.

The officer halted in the entryway, face completely blank with shock. In response Izuku froze, brush poised in midair. They stared at one another for a tense moment before her lips turned upwards into a wicked smile. "Interesting, Little Midoriya. Very interesting."

Saito's reasons for coming to the Midoriya household that day were never to be known, but it was only a matter of minutes after her disappearance before Izuku was barraged with texts about his new hobby. He expected some teasing and questioning the next day at work, but his heart nearly stopped when Tsukauchi called him into his office.

"Y-yes sir?" Izuku asked, hovering in the doorway.

"It's nothing bad, Midoriya. You can stop looking like I'm about to kick you off the force." Tsukauchi smiled, gesturing for Izuku to sit down. "I've been thinking about your escapades in makeup. Have you done your own makeup at all?"

"Only once or twice because Eri wanted me to," Izuku said nervously.

"You should do it some more," the detective said. "It could be a great temporary disguise for shorter jobs. Work with it, see what happens."

There were a number of reasons that those who knew of "Deku" considered him a sort of urban legend, or a cryptid. Deku's legendary status was only reinforced by the fact that no one could quite agree what his face looked like. In short, taking a makeup class ended up being one of the most valuable skills Midoriya Izuku ever learned. If the female officers forced him to do their makeup whenever they had a date coming up, that was their business.

Question and Answer

Is this the arc that was set up in Chapter 1?

Yes! I'm working on it, but soon we're going to see the result of the prologue. Things are really picking up, expect to see some major action in the next chapter or so.

How old is Takane?

Takane is fresh out of the Police Academy, almost nineteen.

Are we going to see more about the quirkless movement Takane talked about?

We're definitely going to see more about the quirkless movement. I've been planning that bit probably for about a year now? It's going to seem very… thematic for the moment.

Does Izuku realize he's basically got multiple fanbases?

Izuku has no idea that it's to that level. I think he would die of embarrassment if he did.

How did you get the idea for this fic and Arson?

Arson started because I went through a phase where I was really into fics where Izuku actually did have a quirk. I kept thinking about the possibilities, but since it was my first in-depth fic, I wanted to be able to reconcile it with canon as much as I could. As you can see, I'm slowly getting more comfortable with canon divergence, but the most important thing about writing to me is that the characters stay true to themselves, so I'm trying to do the best I can given the things that are different from canon. I actually got the idea for Detective Midoriya from a prompt on Ao3. It was just supposed to be a short, fun story, a palate cleanser if you will. The original outline was only fifteen chapters long. As you can see, I cannot write a short, simple story to save my life.

Do you have an update schedule?

… I wish.

Will you ever sell exclusive fanny pack merchandise?

That is not something that I have ever even considered. If there was a high demand for it… maybe? I have like no online presence, though, and if I did start selling them, I'm fairly sure that Kit would murder me in my sleep. She could, too. She's my roommate, so she has the means.

In a shocking turn of events, Kit hates the fanny pack because she thinks they're hideous. It's extra offensive that I made it bright yellow. I don't know what her complaint is, though. She watched the first BNHA movie with me, and if you've seen that (and subsequently Izuku's suit) you'd know that unfortunate fashion choices are kind of Izuku's thing.

What do you go to school for?

I actually have a lot of areas of study, but the main one is English. Before you jump to critique my grammar or harass me about my typos, know that I write and type up fanfic in my free time, which is usually around three in the morning. This means that my brain isn't fully operational.

In other news, I have had some massive writer's block since the semester ended because whenever I pick up my pen, for at least the first half hour, everything that ends up on the page sounds like my academic writing, which isn't ideal at the moment.

Kit is going to school to be a geneticist, btw.

What are your favorite colors and why? Is there a particular thing you like about that color?

My favorite color is green. A large portion of this is because I have a deep love for plants (and I have thirty-plus houseplants at the moment), but it's also such a serene, unaffected color. I grew up in a place with a lot of evergreens, and something about the deep color that feels innately calm and… whole to me.

Kit's favorite color is yellow! She says, "Yellow is the color of life. A picture without yellow in it is completely bland. Nature without yellow wouldn't be actually alive."

So… How's life?

All things considered, life is pretty good. I've got some serious anxiety paired with some serious writer's block at the moment, but I'll make it through. I intended to have this to you guys forever ago, but the aforementioned problems were compounded with my sister stealing my laptop for a few weeks, and that's my only effective way to get these things done. Sorry, but I hope you guys enjoy this short story! Kit and I had a really fun brainstorming session, and I don't totally feel like I've done justice to the idea, but I guess this is better than nothing. Thanks for reading, and I hope to hear from you all soon!


	40. Chapter 40

The Viper Gang was nothing like the Shie Hassaikai. It was almost laughable how easy it was to infiltrate the group - he didn't even get a decent fight out of it.

They were woefully unorganized, but they were dangerous in a different way than most of the people Izuku had dealt with undercover. While the majority of the Viper Gang were largely unskilled and untrained, there was a stunning number of them. Like the mythological hydra, if you took one of them down, there were two more gang members there to take their place, armed and desperate.

These were people who had largely given up. They felt they served no purpose in life, so they were sent out with illegal firearms. It was a community of the weak, the desperate, and the hopeless.

It was almost sad how poorly hidden their base of operations was. Izuku had been given the information, but even if he hadn't, the creepy abandoned warehouse with the Viper Gang symbol spray painted across the bricks would have been one of the first places he decided to check.

Slipping inside didn't prove difficult at all. In fact, a timid teenager took one look at his katana and held the door open for Deku.

Inside gang members milled around everywhere. All ages and types laughed, fought, and shouted together. It was complete chaos, but it could be navigated.

Walking through, the hierarchy of the gang was obvious. The attitudes between the higher and lower ranking members was night and day. Or in this case, it was the difference between the scared boy who opened the door for Izuku and the man who stepped into his path casually slapping a baseball bat against his hand.

"And just what do you think you're doing here?" he asked in a gravelly voice.

Deku barely glanced up to meet the man's gaze, quirking an eyebrow. "And who are you that think you deserve an answer?"

"Mouthy. That's not a very smart thing to be here," he growled, advancing. "Let me show you how things work around here, little boy."

He pulled his arm back, telegraphing his movements in the worst way. His bat met Deku's sword, and the sword won."

"You don't want to continue this," Deku promised, while the man stared at where half of his bat laid on the ground. "Where's your leader? I have things to discuss with her."

Unexpectedly, the man bristled. "You may be stronger than me, but-"

"Calm yourself, Hanada," a sharp voice called. The crowd parted for a tall, regal woman covered in scales. "If pressed, he could likely kill every person in this room. At the very least, Deku could dismantle this entire organization in an afternoon."

The warehouse fell silent as the name "Deku" reverberated through the place, people staring at him in a mixture of awe and horror. Deciding to capitalize on the momentum, he sheathed his sword and said, "Fukuoka Yuki, or should I call you Viper? You are the namesake of the gang, after all. At least you seem well-informed."

"Forgive my subordinates, sir," she said. Her posture was perfect,but Izuku could see the panic in her eyes. "They're young, and they don't know enough about how the world works."

"It's already forgotten, given that it isn't repeated," Deku said, voice cold. "They'll have to learn the nature of things quickly if I'm going to offer my services."

"Offer your services?" Viper asked, pulling back slightly.

"Viper Gang has potential," he said nonchalantly. "I've heard about your current conflict with Dead Eyes. It would be counterproductive for me if they come out on top, so I'm offering my expertise."

"And we gladly accept, Deku sir," she said. "And we will help you with whatever you may need, just say the word."

"You'll serve your purpose in time," he said dismissively. "For now I need to hear any and all plans you have to attack Dead Eyes."

She nodded. "If you'll follow me to my office, I'll have the group leaders come in and report."

Barely inclining his head, Deku followed, completely ignoring the way the crowd parted for him. Wordlessly, each of the leaders fell in line behind him. While Deku was silently impressed by their obedience, he was completely unaware that Viper was impressed by the same thing. She was far from having an iron grip on her gang, but even those that had never heard the name "Deku" before could feel that this was no man to trifle with.

Once he made it to the office, he scrutinized each leader as they filed in - they were little more than teenagers trying to look more intimidating than they were, but they each had that same unhinged, hopeless look in their eyes that made them dangerous. They were volatile and unpredictable, but Izuku got the sense that if these seven fell then the Viper Gang would no longer be a threat. While there was no way they could possibly eliminate every last member, if they took out these core members, it would all topple like a house of cards. Several of them were people Izuku had noticed from the very beginning, but there were at least two wild cards thrown in, people that had to have a major asset hidden if they were able to be leaders in such a sizable gang.

"As I said before, I need each of you to tell me what you and your crews are planning on doing to Dead Eyes," Deku said, crossing his arms as he sat down in what was obviously supposed to be Viper's chair. Internally he was slowly dying at the audacity of, well, himself, but he needed to posture, no matter how painful it was at the moment.

He stared down the first leader that had walked in, noting the excessive sweat that was slowly seeping through his shirt the longer he stood under Deku's gaze. Causally wiping his forehead, he squeaked, "I'm Chuya, sir, and my crew and I are planning on poaching some of the suppliers that Dead Eyes are currently relying on."

Raising one eyebrow, Deku asked, "What kind of suppliers are those?"

"Um, Dead Eyes try to operate fairly under the radar, so they run several discrete businesses, like a bakery. We also have a bakery, and we were planning on poaching their patissier."

He didn't know what he expected of the mumbled reply, but it took all of his self control not to snicker at the thought of two gangs fighting over something so petty and ridiculous. Most of the other leaders had equally innocuous plans, and those that were problematic quickly agreed not to carry out their plan until Izuku gave his okay. It was all fine up until the last leader.

The last leader - the very man who had challenged Izuku upon entrance - stood tall, tilting his head haughtily. "My crew and I are going to raid their base in five days."

"No, you're not," Deku said sharply. "If we want to be able to win this struggle, we need to lay low for a while, keep them guessing about what we're doing. You don't directly engage them, and more importantly you don't enrage them."

Breathing in sharply, the man took a step towards Deku. "I know Viper has said you're some kinda genius, but I ain't seen no proof of that. Me and my boys have been planning this for weeks, and no boy with a sword is going to change that."

Instead of shrinking away from the man and his foul breath, Deku took a step forward, getting right in his face. "If you and your boys don't want to die the second a real fight starts, then I suggest you listen."

He stared the man down, refusing to blink. While some of Viper Gang had heard of him, Deku needed to assert his dominance or he wouldn't be able to accomplish anything when a fight did come to head.

Sensing more than seeing the fist that was swiftly flying towards his face, Izuku caught it easily in one palm, eyes never leaving the other man's face.

Viper gasped. "Hanada, step down-"

Deku held up a hand. "No, he doubts me. Clearly I need to earn some respect around here."

Hanada snorted. "I'd like to see you try."

Releasing the man's fist, Deku and Hanada circled each other a few times, each assessing the other. Hanada was a tall, broad man, obviously a brawler, and it seemed that his quirk was connected to the thickness of his skin, which acted as a sort of armor. It was latent, and his skin seemed to be roughly the same thickness of an elephant, or a rhino. While it definitely gave Hanada an advantage, it meant that he tended not to block and gave him an undeserved confidence in his fighting, something that worked to Deku's advantage.

It was obvious that the man had never been formally trained. He was a beast and experience was on his side, but he was completely ignorant of his weak points. The first: his patience.

Hanada lunged first with a vicious right hook that would have been the end for Deku if he hadn't dodged just in time. A rush of air followed the fist, whipping past his face.

While the punch was absurdly strong, it was slow and excessive - the punch was telegraphed to absolutely everyone, and the movement was long and sweeping, making it simple for Deku to catch his forearm, twisting it behind his back.

Snarling, Hanada thrashed around until Deku let his arm go, sending the man careening to the ground. He was back on his feet in a heartbeat, lunging at Deku with the aim of tackling him, but he simply danced out of the way, like a matador leading a bull around.

It was a merry chase he let Hanada on, allowing him just close enough to make Deku's escape all the more frustrating. After a particularly close call, Deku decided it had been enough.

Ducking below Hanada's crushing arms, Deku followed the movement even further, sinking down to sweep his leg out, forcibly knocking both of Hanada's out from under him. While he toppled with all the grace of a felled tree, Deku bobbed up, drawing his sword as he whirled around, settling one foot on his chest and the sword point at his neck.

"If you and your men want to survive the larger battle, you _will_ call off the raid," Deku said in a frosty voice. "I'm not a boy, I'm not a puppy, and I'm not whatever else you may want to refer to me as. I've seen and done things far beyond the scope of your little gang here, so when I say jump, you ask how high."

Putting just enough pressure on Hanada's chest to make him significantly uncomfortable, Deku stared the man down long enough to feel confident his message was delivered.

Stepping away, he said, "No one is taking any blatant action against Dead Eyes unless it was approved by me first. Make sure everyone knows."

With that, Deku stepped away. He left the office, once more marching through the crowd as it parted for him. He heard the telltale signs of someone (badly) attempting to follow him, but a single glare solved that problem. Striding out confidently, he only had to walk a few blocks before he ducked into an alleyway, shedding his disguise until he was just left in his jeans, t-shirt, and fanny pack while he stuffed the rest into a duffel bag he'd stuffed behind a dumpster the night before.

With his katana safely stuffed in the bag, Izuku felt confident walking down the street until he reached the bus stop. From there it was just a matter of getting to the police station.

Kit's Korner

 _Izuku's last birthday_

"You guys really didn't have to do any of this," Izuku said, staring at the station's break room. It was bursting, decorations covering everything they feasibly could, and a few decorations that logically shouldn't have possibly been there. None of them were made as birthday decorations, because that apparently would have been "off-brand." It wasn't like they could have used the actual birthday decorations they had bought last month to celebrate that Tokusei had been transferred to a different station.

But no, someone "just happened to find" some Thanksgiving decorations. Izuku didn't know much about Thanksgiving as it was primarily an American holiday, but at this point he was convinced that one of the officers spent too much time on the internet for their own good. It really didn't help the fact that Eri got some holidays mixed up anyways.

"Nonsense, you're the only one that we would willingly do this for," Saito said, licking frosting off of her thumb.

Kimura gestured widely with her fork. "You know, now I'm glad that you guys refused to help plan my baby shower. You're kind of terrible."

Sasaki gasped, clutching a turkey plush that someone had gifted a party hat to her chest. "This is a masterpiece, you cretin!"

"Well you've got fifteen minutes before you have to clean up your masterpiece," Tsukauchi said before a fight could break out. "Has everyone given their gift to Izuku?"

"Oh, I nearly forgot to give mine," Sohma said, shuffling forward. "Here you are, Midoriya."

Izuku accepted the gift bag, opening it to find a pristine leather wallet inside.

"At the rate you're going you may need a larger wallet soon, but for now this seemed to be just the right size. I took the liberty of filling it for you."

"You filled it?" Izuku asked, confused.

"Let me show you," Sohma said, taking the wallet and unbuttoning it. Once open, a line of photos fell out. "I have one with all of my grandchildren, and it just felt right for you, Midoriya."

"Thank you, Sohma," Izuku said, reaching for the wallet. The first picture was Eri, of course, beaming next to Kirimi, who sat next to Kouta. "This is great, I love having them with me!"

"Oh, one got stuck behind the others," Nakamura noticed, poking at the photo that was still folded behind.

It fell open, and in contrast to the smiling children of the other pictures, Izuku found himself face to face with Shouto's deadpan expression.

"Aw, Little Midoriya's kids," Saito cooed, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

"You're such a dad already," Sasaki snorted.

"He definitely has more parental instinct than I do," Kimura added.

"Just remember, if you decide to keep a picture of Uraraka as well you should keep it hidden," Saito said with a huge wink.

"A picture of- You're insane, you're all insane!" Izuku proclaimed, hoping his cheeks would stop flushing. "Thank you for the gift, Sohma. In the meantime, I think I hear Tsukauchi saying that he needs me out there."

"Tsukauchi is still in here," Saito called behind him.

"Not for much longer," the detective in question said, following Izuku. "Now clean up all of your turkeys."

* * *

 **A/N: Hey guys, sorry this chapter took so long! I can tell you're all hyped to see what happens next, and I really love you all for that! Things are going to pick up really quickly - I promise I'm going to deliver fairly soon.**

 **Warning: I'm going to be addressing some of the current social issues going on in the U.S. If this is something that you don't want to hear to preserve your mental health, then awesome, see you next chapter! I also don't want this to turn into an argument, and to preserve my own mental health, I reserve the right to delete inflammatory comments.**

 **I think the title of the fic says it all. Detective Midoriya is about what would have happened had Izuku decided to become a cop in the BNHA world. However, this is a detective story about a fictional character in a different country of a fictional universe.**

 **This is by no means my support of the current actions and state of the police force in the United States of America, nor is it a condemnation of every individual police officer.I believe that every human being has the capacity for good and evil, and we have to choose our actions each day, and we must be held accountable for those actions. The systemic injustice is something that needs to be addressed and changed, and we're in the middle of that right now. I'm not going to tell you what you should do in your own lives to address this issue - morally, I believe that you need to decide that for yourself. I'm sure that many of you have already started taking action in some way or another. What I am going to suggest is that you take the time to truly educate yourself on the matter. Listen and read with an open mind, and decide for yourself what action you think would be the most appropriate. True change is internal, and it starts with the individual.**


	41. Chapter 41

It ended up being faster to get to the front doors of the station instead of the employee entrance, so the first person Izuku saw upon walking in was Saito chatting with a civilian. She glanced up, smile wide when she saw him. "Little Midoriya! You made it through the first day without getting stabbed!"

The woman Saito had been assisting looked around, panicked. "Who got stabbed?"

"No one did!" Saito exclaimed. "It's worth a celebration!"

Glancing back, Izuku was glad to see the secretary walking to the desk. "Hey, Watanabe! Do you mind helping this woman finish filling her report? Officer Saito is needed in the back."

"Oh, certainly Detective Midoriya. The others are waiting for you."

Hauling Saito behind him, Izuku hissed, "You can't just bring up getting stabbed in front of civilians, you'll freak them out."

"Well sue me for being glad you're alive," she said, pouting.

"Eyy, it's Little Midoriya, and he's not even bleeding," someone else called over the back room.

Several people shouted their congratulations, and above them he heard a panicked Takane asking someone, "Is he usually bleeding? Why would he be bleeding?"

"It's an inside joke, don't worry about it," Izuku said hastily. "Why don't you join me in Detective Tsukauchi's office?"

He looked terrified, even more than usual now that he was in plainclothes, but he followed Izuku into the detective's office without a word.

"Good to see you both made it back safely," Naomasa said. "Sit down, let's hear what you've found."

Takane still looked stressed out just to be there, so Izuku started debriefing the two on any important information he'd discovered, hoping the other officer would relax, at least marginally.

"One of the groups had been planning a raid on Dead Eyes in a couple of days. I've warned them off of it, but there's no guarantee that they're actually going to listen to me. It's definitely going to kickstart some sort of conflict with Dead Eyes if it does happen, so I'm going to monitor the situation as closely as possible. As soon as anything happens, I will let both of you know," Izuku said in closing.

"We'll distribute this information accordingly, Midoriya, thank you. If conflict does arise, do you have any preference on how it should be handled?" Tsukauchi asked.

"This may change based on what Takane says, but we want primarily police personnel – keep the number of heroes involved minimal, and make sure that they work well together." Izuku steepled his fingers, thinking intently. "We have to work cohesively. Individually these people aren't terribly dangerous, but you will be facing the as a whole. If you guys aren't unified during this operation, someone will get hurt."

"Thank you, detective. Takane, what do you have for us today?"

"I don't have much, and I'm sorry for that. I did successfully infiltrate Dead Eyes, but there is no trust established yet," the officer said, scratching the back of his head. "I'm afraid I won't know anything is in the works until we're actually in the middle of it."

"Things rarely go as planned, especially with criminal organizations like this," Izuku promised. "We didn't expect you to become the gang leader overnight, you're doing great. When something is happening, all you have to do is let us know."

"Both of you are expected to put your lives above the mission. Now get out of here." Tsukauchi said, shooing them out. He met Izuku's eyes, and he after all these years, Izuku could tell exactly what he was trying to communicate: try to calm Takane.

"Thank you," the younger two said in unison before standing up. As they left, the officers called out encouragements.

"Keep up the good work, boys!"

"Make sure you two don't get stabbed!"

"We're all depending on you!"

Takane was looking paler by the moment as Izuku hauled him out of the station. "I don't know that I'm cut out for things like this, Midoriya. And why does everyone keep talking about getting stabbed? Is that normal on undercover missions?!"

"I wouldn't say it's normal, exactly, but my first couple undercover missions were… high-stress situations. Just remember, we don't want or need you to be a vital part of Dead Eyes, you're just a background member there to warn us if they're about to make a move. If you can safely bail out at that point, then please do. There's no need to put yourself in danger, we're only stationed where we are to alert the proper channels in time so civilians don't get hurt during the battle."

The other man inhaled sharply. "I know that, but I never thought I would be doing something like this, especially so soon out of the Police Academy."

"Neither did I," Izuku assured him. "If it would make you feel better, you and I will go get dinner, and we'll make a plan as foolproof as we can manage. Deal?"

After a moment Takane nodded. "Deal."

And they did exactly that. It seemed to at least marginally calm Takane, and then it was time for them to go. Izuku had a few, precious hours with Eri before it was her bedtime – he would be gone long before she woke up the next morning.

As he was tucking her in, her big, crimson eyes met his. "You're going to be okay during this mission, right Dadku?"

"I've learned a lot about staying safe since I met you, Eri. As long as everyone else does their job, I'll be just fine," Izuku said, ruffling her hair. "Besides, I need to be there for your dance recital, so I have to be okay!"

"You promise you'll be back in time?"

"I pinky promise," Izuku said, offering his pinky. As he locked fingers with her, he internally swore to himself that it would be true – if he had to cause a gang war himself, he would be there for Eri's dance recital.

When he left Eri's bedroom, silently closing the door behind him, his mother was waiting in the hallway for him.

"Do you really think you'll be back in time for her recital? This isn't a small mission, Izuku."

"I don't intend on breaking any of my promises to Eri. I'll be there, Mom." He smiled, still thrown off by how much taller than her he was, a recent development. "This won't be like my first missions. I'm good at what I do, and this is one of my least dangerous mission yet. But I'm being careful. I'm not doing this to prove myself, I just want to protect people. I can't do that if I get myself stabbed or shot, right?"

Inko looked at him, watery eyes finally overflowing. "I'm so proud of you, my darling boy."

"Thanks Mom," Izuku said, swallowing back tears of his own. There was a strange sense of finality in the interaction, and unease settled in his chest when he had to slip out of the house early that morning – he couldn't risk being tracked.

At the warehouse there was only the night guard awake, as well as the young boy he recognized as the one who'd opened the door for him the first time he'd come. He leaned against the warehouse wall around the corner, out of the guard's view. He was tiny and dirty with a shock of green hair – Izuku had avoided looking at the boy too much for fear of exposing some emotion, but now, with no one to see, Izuku shamelessly stared at him. It was like looking in a mirror, in some ways. Had he not met Detective Tsukauchi, this could have been exactly how he ended up.

"You, what's your name?" Deku asked.

Terrified brown eyes snapped up to his face. "Sir?"

"I asked you what your name was."

"H-Hinata, sir." He swallowed thickly. "Hinata Soji."

"And what exactly do you do around here, Hinata Soji?"

"Nothing! I-I mean, I just do whatever I'm told to, sir. I don't do anything important."

Izuku stared the boy down, easily reading every emotion that crossed the boy's face despite the poor lighting. "Why are you here?"

"Well, I couldn't sleep, and sometimes the night watchmen need someth—"

"No kid, why did you join Viper Gang?"

"I, um… My quirk scares people, sir."

"Persuasion, right? Don't look so shocked, I analyze quirks for a living. For what it's worth, I think it's a fascinating quirk that has countless uses both for good or evil. If you really wanted to, you could even stop our upcoming fight with Dead Eyes. Stand tall, the quirk belongs to you, not the other way around."

The boy stared at him with a form of reverence. At this point, Izuku had seen that same look on countless people's faces, the look of being introduced to the idea that they may hold value outside of their quirk.

Izuku regarded him for a few more moments before saying, "I like you, Hinata. If you agree, from now on you're my shadow. You would be my eyes and ears. Anything you hear that I might want to know, you tell me."

Snapping into a salute that was almost comical, Hinata said, "Yes sir!"

"Calm down, just call me Deku, kid. But this is a two-way deal. If you agree, you're under my protection. If you don't want to be somewhere, you walk the other way with my permission. If you don't want to do something, you tell them you're running an errand for me." Deku offered a hand. "So are you interested?"

"I'll do it, si- uh, Deku." Soji said eagerly, clasping his hand firmly. "Thank you, you won't regret this. I'll do everything you could ever want."

"You're not here to impress me, you're here to help me. And in the meantime we're going to develop your quirk. It could come in very important to us. You strike me as the kind of kid that doesn't want to end up in the middle of a shootout."

"Th-that's right, Deku."

"Well, I don't want one to happen either, but it's going to. Our job is going to be to try and stop it before things get bad. Got it?"

"But why would you want to stop it, sir?"

Glancing around, it didn't appear there was any sort of surveillance, but Izuku didn't want to risk it. "Listen kid, one day I'll tell you, but for now I need you to trust me without question. I've got my reasons for not wanting this, but I also just don't like senseless death. If you're willing to fight, it should be for some reason better than getting your pride hurt."

When he glanced back down, Hinata was staring at him like Izuku himself used to stare at All Might, like he had hung the stars in the sky. It made him feel uncomfortable, but he also remembered being on the other side of things.

Unstrapping the katana from his belt, Izuku sat himself down on the ground, leaning against the filthy warehouse. He patted the even filthier ground next to him, the spot Hinata had been sitting in minutes before. "If we're both committed to being awake at such an unholy hour, we may as well keep each other company."

"Yes, Deku sir."

"Drop the 'sir,' Hinata."

"Yes, Deku."

They sat like that, just talking about Hinata's quirk and how it functioned, and eventually that transitioned into talking about Hinata's life in general. Just having Hinata in his corner was making Izuku feel like he pretty much had everything under control.

All in all, Hinata was making for an excellent friend, regardless of how valuable he was to Izuku's cause. When he was able to overcome his nerves, Hinata was whip-smart and he had a fairly good mind for medicine.

"You wouldn't make a half-bad EMT," Izuku thought out loud, watching the boy almost perfectly mimic the way Izuku had wrapped a sprained ankle. Hinata had officially been his shadow for a week or so at that point, and with his help Izuku had gathered more information than he could have ever dreamed of. "Or a first responder. You've got a lot of promise, kid."

"I kind of wanted to be a doctor when I was a kid. That was before I ran away, though."

Izuku let the comment slide, even though he desperately wanted to know more. While Hinata was an open book about most things, he had said nothing about his family or the events that had led him to joining the gang. Until he could actually do something to help, it was best left alone. (As it stood, Izuku had sent a picture and name of the boy to Naomasa with strict instructions that he was to be dealt with separately and lightly. If possible Izuku would cut him a deal and send him back home.)

As it stood, things were getting tense around the Viper Gang. Deku had had to stop a series of people from attempting various raids and preemptive attacks on Dead Eyes, but Viper stood in his corner, even if most of the gang's faith in him was starting to waver.

Now that he had a better sense of hwo things were going to go down, Izuku needed to get things in order. He'd kept to his decision to let Tsukauchi pick which heroes were involved. It kind of chafed at Izuku, not planning the details of the upcoming skirmish, but he had traded some of that certainty and predictability for the situation that would both protect the most civilians and allow the police to capture as many members of both gangs as possible.

He only needed another week to get Hinata's quirk strong enough to handle what would be necessary – they might even make it out with little to no casualties, and he wouldn't have an issue making it to Eri's dance recital. Izuku was actually feeling fairly confident about the situation until about three days later.

It was fairly early morning when Izuku's planning was interrupted by a frantic Hinata bursting into the room. "Deku, sir! Hanada and his group are gone! They've already started the raid!"

Ice filled Izuku's veins, and suddenly the entire world felt off-kilter. "No, they've been strictly ordered against it. We're not ready!"

"No one has seen them since last night, but it might not be too late! Viper has people looking for them."

"They wouldn't have gone any of the normal ways, they would be trying to avoid me," Izuku said, moving out the door so frantically that he didn't even grab his katana.

"What do you want me to do?"

Izuku paused. What did he want Hinata to do? His quirk was a marvel, he could persuade anyone within earshot to do anything so long as even a tiny part of said person wanted to do what he was persuading them to do. It reminded him a lot of Shinsou's quirk, but right now it was unstable. The duration and strength of it was unpredictable, especially under high-stress situations.

Scribbling down an address, Izuku finally said, "Go to this police station, specifically this police station. Don't look so scared, I promise they won't arrest you. Tell Detective Tsukauchi that Deku sent you. Stay there, stay safe."

He could practically envision which way Hanada had gone. Deku stayed just long enough to make sure Hinata was well on his way before Deku tore through the streets at a breakneck pace. On high alert for anything remotely related to Viper Gang or Dead Eyes, Izuku nearly tripped over a man who was bent over, attempting to pick up the papers scattered over the sidewalk.

Agitated, Izuku shuffled the papers into a pile, only barely making eye-contact with the man. An unexpected barrage of emotions assaulted Izuku when he realized that this was All Might, his civilian form. He stared at the sunken blue eyes in horror, because his former idol seemed to be the worst omen he could have possibly found.

Breathing deeply, Izuku pressed the papers back into All Might's hand. He could see the assumptions in his eyes – the number one hero was assuming he was a hoodlum, or maybe even a villain. Somehow that knowledge made it easier for him to press the papers into the man's hand and bolt away.

It wasn't much farther until Izuku spotted Hanada moving jauntily across the street like he hadn't just sentenced countless people to death. Realizing too late that he didn't have a sword, Deku barreled at the man, shoving him into a nearby alleyway.

Ignoring his protests of pain, Deku threw him to the ground, pinning his chest down with a foot. "Are you satisfied now that you've betrayed Viper Gang?"

"I knew you would find me no matter which way I went," Hanada panted, winded from the chase. "But it's too late, you can't poison our gang anymore with your plans. Your fear and hesitation is ruining us and our reputation. You're destroying the Viper Gang!"

Deku knew the man couldn't see what he was doing with his mouth thanks to the mask he wore, but that was unnecessary – his eyes held the same weight and temperature of a glacier. When he spoke, his voice was a sharp as the katana he'd forgotten.

"I may have changed the Viper Gang, but congratulations. You've signed the death certificate."

Kit's Korner

Izuku probably should have just left things be – he wasn't even on duty that day. It was supposed to be a fun day downtown with Inko and Eri. The weather was perfect and the streets were fairly empty. Because of the empty streets, it made the man and the young girl look even more noticeable.

He was a tall man, and he looked like he was playing the part of the distinguished gentleman. His dramatic coat, combined with his companion's theater-esque costume would make the average onlooker assume they were in some sort of acting troupe. At least, that was what Izuku's mother supposed on seeing them.

"Oh my, I wonder what sort of play those two might be part of," Inko said, pointing them out to Eri. "It looks quite fun, whatever it is!"

Izuku stared at the two with furrowed brows while Eri nodded slowly. "You two go on ahead, I need to check something out."

"Is everything okay, Izuku?"

"Yeah Dadku, what's wrong?"

"Everything's fine, I just saw someone I thought I might know," he said, practically shoving them into a nearby café.

Once those two were safe, Izuku jogged to catch up with the other two. "Excuse me, sir, are you Gentle Criminal?"

The two villains (could he really call them that, though?) turned around, smiling brightly. The mustached man smiled charmingly, and asked, "Oh my, are you a fan?"

"I've been following you two for a long time, I never miss a video!" Izuku said, embracing his inner fanboy. He paused a moment before gasping exaggeratedly and stage whispering, "Are you in the middle of something right now?"

"My boy, we can't simply tell you something like that, not even for such an avid fan," Gentle said, patting his head. "But I would be more than happy to leave you with an autograph."

"Yes please! Can I get one from La Brava too? And a picture?! I have to tell my friends all about it!"

Gentle Criminal was one of the low-level criminals that their station had been keeping an eye on. His crimes were minor inconveniences at most, but Izuku doubted that they would stay like that for long. Lately on his vlog he'd been promising some major scheme, and based on how antsy the man and his sidekick were acting, it was likely that they were in the thick of it right then.

"Well, one picture wouldn't hurt, I suppose, but we really must be on our way," he said, his eyes darting around.

"Perfect! Say cheese!" Izuku said, snapping a selfie of the three of them. "Oh shoot, I blinked. Can we redo it, it will only—"

"I hate to disappoint a fan, but we have to get going. I hope you enjoy our next video!" he said before using his quirk to soar away.

Izuku made a show of tapping away at his phone, sending the picture to Detective Tsukauchi and everyone at the station that was on duty before stepping forward and gingerly testing the elastic portion of the air that Gentle had created just moments ago.

He'd spent quite a bit of time studying Gentle's quirk – it was a fun one with a lot of possibilities. It was strange to find a quirk that could give any substance an amazing level of elasticity without effecting said substance at all when the quirk wore off. There were a lot of things that Izuku wouldn't mind studying about the quirk, but his first responsibility was capturing the man.

Testing the patch of air, Izuku backed up before giving himself a running start to leap onto the invisible trampoline. It was even more elastic than Izuku had predicted, which left him flailing to where he remembered the next patch of air being. He nearly missed it, which would have been unfortunate on multiple accounts. It took a couple of jumps before he got some semblance of control over them – embarrassingly enough, what ended up helping him was thinking of Eri's recent fascination with ballet. Mimicking the graceful leaping form, Izuku was swiftly catching up to Gentle, and it was silent enough that they hadn't noticed yet.

The elastic patches were rising higher and higher into the sky, and Izuku found himself level with the rooftops of the nearby buildings. He was closing in on Gentle, and now more than ever he had to pay attention to where the man was making these patches so he could potentially overtake him.

A flash of movement caught his eye – right before his foot made contact with the nearest patch, Izuku made eye contact with the hero patrolling nearby. Or rather, the hero student. Shinsou stared at him, completely deadpan before giving him a simple thumbs up.

Izuku choked, his foot making contact weird, leaving him careening in the air far farther than he had intended. With a strangled cry, he not only alerted Gentle Criminal and La Brava to his presence, but he fell forward, hands grasping for anything and everything he could to keep himself from falling.

His hands did find something – Gentle's coat. Izuku screamed as they both plummeted down, and Gentle couldn't concentrate to use his quirk. Internally, Izuku was preparing himself for all of the lectures he would get for his many broken limbs, but luckily their fall was broken by a nearby tree. Roughly every inch of him was scraped or bruised, but he fared better than Gentle. A branch had knocked him out, leaving him dangling by the coat.

Dazed, Izuku barely registered the distressed calls of La Brava. A few minutes later the tree was surrounded by a number of police cars and fire engines while the firefighters extracted the two of them from the tree. One of the firefighters had a healing quirk that took care of most of his scrapes and bruises, at least the visible ones. He gave his statement before rejoining Inko and Eri, and the only long-term evidences of the event were the continuous court dealings with Gentle, and the video of Izuku leaping like a ballerina that made its way through police officers and pro-heroes alike.

* * *

 **A/N:** **Sorry for the delay on this one guys, as well as the decreased quality of writing. My life has been complete chaos. I thought I was just going to be spending a few days helping some family move, but things have not gone as planned, and I have had ten extra family members living in our house with us, including two-year-old twins. As you can imagine, that's not super great for writing. They're still going to be staying here for the foreseeable future, so I'm not making any promises on when the next chapter will be out.**

 **Anyway, I'm super excited for the next little bit, we're officially at the prologue! I have a lot planned, and I'm excited to see how you guys like it!**


	42. Chapter 42

**A/N:** **So if you guys read Arson back in the day, you might remember what I published on Izuku's last birthday. Yeah... I don't mean to keep seriously wounding / possibly killing Deku on his birthday, but here we are, happy birthday. Also no Kit's Korner this time because it seems a bit insensitive? I would say enjoy the chapter, but that also seems a bit insensitive, so I'm just gonna leave this here...**

* * *

Yanking Hanada to his feet, Izuku let him get his feet under him before grasping the front of his shirt and roughly hauling him down the street – all the way back to the warehouse. Now that Hinata was out of danger, Izuku was feeling strangely calm.

Slamming into Viper's office, Deku threw Hanada at her feet. "Prepare for all out war. They did the raid anyway. We have less than an hour."

Sweeping out of the room, Izuku wove through the panicked masses that were slowly spreading the news of the upcoming fight. He couldn't bring himself to interact with any of them - soon enough he'd be acting as a sort of leader.

He clenched the burner phone in his hand. A large part of him wanted to run away and never look back He wanted to have katsudon with Eri and Mom, and make terrible jokes with the police officers at his station. He wanted to sit in the front row at Eri's dance recital, and see his friend graduate U.A. He wanted to prove himself to All Might, and, well, himself.

The phone interrupted his wistful thinking, a slight vibration in his hand. It was Takane, informing Izuku that Dead Eyes were on the way to the warehouse. Tightly shoving down his emotions, Izuku dropped his phone on the floor and crushed it with his heel, grinding it into the concrete.

With that done, Izuku slipped fully into his Deku persona, preparing only by tracking down his katana and strapping it securely around his waist.

Miles away, Naomasa received a text message from Takane. They'd cut down on contact with Izuku to avoid risking his cover, so they'd been expecting the skirmish any day now. Not thinking anything of it, Naomasa put out the order to have as many cops as possibly on standby to take care of business. It wasn't until a scrawny green-haired boy burst in that concern grew.

"I need to see Detective Tsukauchi," he yelled from the reception area. "It's urgent!"

"Hey, settle down, kid. I'm sure we can figure something out," Nakamura said. "Now what's going on?"

"Deku sent me and told me I needed to talk to Detective Tsukauchi," he said desperately.

The entire station froze. "Deku sent you?" Nakamura asked slowly.

"Yes, and I need to talk to Detective Tsukauchi!"

Naturally he was rushed into the detective's office, where every word sent ice through Naomasa's veins. He recognized this child – it was the one Izuku wanted to make sure was protected. He knew Izuku had been thinking about utilizing the boy's quirk to ensure the least amount of violence possible. Something was wrong – horribly wrong.

"Thank you, Deku told us about you. We'll take care of you, just sit over there and one of the officers will help you out. If you'll excuse me, I have some phone calls to make."

Naomasa barely noticed the boy leave his office, instead taking to pacing. With the new developments there was no question of whether or not heroes were needed – but who?

He remembered everything Izuku had told him, and a number of heroes flashed through his mind, but there was really only one that he trusted enough to take care of things. Picking up the phone, Naomasa dialed the number he knew by heart. Luckily Toshinori picked up on the first try.

"What is it, Tsukauchi?"

"We've got a huge fight, Toshinori," Naomasa said, willing his voice not to break. "I've got an undercover detective in the middle of it all, so I need you and whichever heroes you think are best for the job, now. This isn't a job for your students." Before he could let any emotions through, Naomasa hung up the phone, his mind consumed in a single plea: Please take care of Izuku.

Naomasa allowed himself a few moments to collect himself before stepping out into the rest of the station. "Where's Hinata? I need to ask him a few more questions."

"We thought he was with you still," Mori said.

Tsukauchi swore, bolting out the door, but there was no sign of the boy. "The kid is gone, he probably ran back to help Izuku. This isn't going to end well."

"We'll be there to back him up, Detective," Tamakawa said, placing a paw on his shoulder. "It will work out."

"I hope you're right," Naomasa said, but even as the words left his lips, the pit in his stomach disagreed.

Across Musutafu, Shota was attempting to teach hero theory to his second year class when Snipe walked in.

"Can I help you?" Shota asked.

"You're needed for an emergency mission right now – Nezu's already approved it," Snipe explained. "You're meeting up with All Might and Midnight in the courtyard."

"Fine. Remember the essay is due tomorrow," he said in parting to his students. Ignoring the collective groans, he soon found himself face-to-face with All Might.

"So what's this mission?" Midnight asked.

"There's a gang fight going on between the Viper Gang and Dead Eyes," Yagi said, looking ridiculous wearing his hero costume in his civilian form. "It seems like it's going to be an indiscriminate shoot-out, but Detective Tsukauchi has an undercover detective in there. That's where we come in."

Shota didn't know if he wanted to laugh or scream. It was Midoriya, of course it was Midoriya. He couldn't say anything, of course, because if Shota or the others acted like they recognized him as anything other than Deku, then the whole persona he'd worked so hard for would crumble. Even worse, if Deku was exposed in the middle of a gunfight there was only one way that things would end.

He did find himself unexpectedly grateful that All Might asked him to be a part of the mission – this way he could hopefully make sure that the kid made it to Eri's dance recital.

Back at the warehouse, Izuku fully slipped into his Deku persona. Things that he might have hesitated about as Izuku would get him killed, and Izuku had a promise to keep.

When the main doors burst open, he didn't startle, but his eyes did widen when Hinata ran in. Several people raised their guns at him, but Deku raised a hand to stop them. "Don't shoot, he's my informant."

Viper looked incredibly tense as Hinata scurried to Deku's side. Standing before the entire gang, she proclaimed, "Only one gang is going to leave here today. We started this fight, and we're going to end it, too!"

While the entirety of the Viper Gang cheered, Deku hissed to Hinata, "What are you doing here?!"

"We had a plan," he said, determined. "I'm not good for much, but I have to try."

"You won't be good for anything if you're dead," Deku said. "It's not too late if you get out of here."

"I've made up my mind," Hinata said, crossing his arms. "It kind of feels good."

"Congratulations, and unless I give you the signal otherwise, stay behind me," he commanded darkly. "I don't want any heroics from you."

"Yes, Deku," he squeaked, falling behind as told.

A few more minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Dead Eyes. Some of the members were starting to get antsy, but with a look at Deku, Viper shut them up. It was almost endearing how much faith she placed in him.

As soon as he noticed it, Deku laid a hand on his katana. "They're here."

"Are you nuts?" someone demanded. "No one is here but us fools. I guess Dead Eyes were too pussy to actually—"

Deku didn't flinch when a shot rang out, silencing the man forever.

There was a ripple across the warehouse, and the illusion they'd all been seeing disappeared without a trace. The space that had previously stood empty was filled with members of the Dead Eyes gang. With a sinking heart, Izuku saw Takane among them – now he had two people to get out alive.

But he couldn't focus on that for long. At the head of the gang stood the leader, a man in his thirties with milky white eyes and illusion up his sleeve. No one knew his name. The only name he was known by was shared by the gang he led.

"You may have one boy with a decent head on his shoulders, but that won't save him. You picked the wrong side of this, Deku."

"Shouldn't you be addressing Viper?" Deku asked as impertinently as he could manage. "Or did you bring your entire gang here because I hurt your feelings?"

"We all know Viper is no real leader. Your presence is the only thing that gives this pathetic crew half a right to call themselves a gang."

Several Viper Gang members protested, lunging forward until Hinata stepped up.

"None of you want to fight. You all want to leave!" Hinata yelled, forcibly spreading his quirk over a larger radius than ever before. An eerie silence fell over the room as everyone in it stilled – maybe it would all work out.

Just as Izuku got his hopes up, they were definitively dashed. Hearing a slight rustle, Deku drew his sword and had to lunge to slice the quill that the porcupine woman on the other side had sent towards Hinata with deadly aim.

There were too many people, he specialized in fighting and analyzing small groups. Who were the major fighters? Dead Eyes's illusions were an issue, but the porcupine lady was gripping her gun with a familiarity that made Deku uneasy. There was a man in the back who emitted a barely perceptible electrical hum – it likely interfered with how electrical things functioned. Now was not the time to analyze, though, it was time to fight for his life.

Spell broken, members of both gangs surged forward with battle cries and guns drawn. Using the chaos as his cover, Deku shoved Hinata down and hissed, "Nice try, you almost had 'em. Now keep low and get out. Kick out the window in the west bathroom, you're small enough to squeeze out."

"But Deku—"

"NOW!" he roared, shoving the younger boy away. He watched it long enough to see he'd gotten to the bathroom safely before turning his attention to Takane.

Thankfully the members of Dead Eyes seemed to be fairly well-informed about Deku and all of his feats – they likely avoided shooting him out of the hope of recruiting him to their gang, or they'd heard all of the stupid urban legends and they were scared what might happen if they actually shot Deku.

The crowd parted for Deku and his katana as he found his way to the very center of the fight where the head of Dead Eyes was baiting Viper. Illusions of him danced all around her, only to disappear when she lunged at them.

"Your jealousy is truly pathetic to see," Deku said, settling off to the side of the two gang leaders. He held himself like he was at a business luncheon and there weren't bullets singing past his head. "You'll have to come to terms with the fact that Dead Eyes is on its last leg."

"Dead Eyes is on its last leg?!" the leader demanded. "You must be slipping, Deku. You're supposed to be good at this sort of thing."

"Your actions have doomed your gang – both of your gangs." Deku dodged a bullet by leaning slightly, but with the changed angle, he caught sight of Takane clutching his shoulder amongst the chaos. At the view of red seeping through his fingers, Deku clenched his jaw before continuing, "This will be the end for you both if you don't end this. We're in a firefight, and the winner is going to be whoever is left alive at the end. But a handful of wounded people isn't an impressive gang, in my opinion. But since your members' lives are worth so little, carry on."

"They attacked us first!" Dead Eyes snarled.

"No, a few people disobeyed orders and raided you," Deku said, raising his voice. "Viper needs to leash her dogs, but how many times have you raided Viper Gang in the past year? I came because I thought both of your gangs held promise, but you're throwing it all away with your men. And get rid of these illusions, you stopped impressing anyone a while ago."

Dead Eyes erased the illusions, pouting a bit as he did. Straightening her shoulders, Viper called, "You heard Deku. Let's end this useless killing."

The wave of bullets slowed, but there was still gunfire on both sides. When Izuku caught sight of Takane dragging himself to the door, anger flared again.

"PUT YOUR GUNS DOWN!" he roared across the warehouse. People around him froze – this would doubtlessly spawn a whole slew of new Deku stories. He'd never raised his voice as Deku before today.

"Your leaders are going to negotiate. The next person that fires a gun answers to me," Deku announced. "In the meantime, shut up."

No one had really been paying attention to anything outside of the fight around them, but Deku had caught the slightest strains of sirens and footsteps outside. Backup was here, he just had to keep everyone in here distracted and unsuspecting.

He found himself unexpectedly thankful for Dead Eye's pigheadedness. He kept arguing with Viper so vehemently that he didn't notice that people on the edge of the room were starting to yawn all at once. When Izuku saw the purple haze pouring out of the vents, he knew he was saved – he couldn't have picked a better ally than Midnight at this moment. He could kiss Detective Tsukauchi!

The two leaders were completely focused on each other, and everyone else was so focused on the leaders that Deku could do anything that didn't draw attention to himself. He darted over to where Takane was slumped against the wall, assessing the damage. The man was passed out, and before the leaders could realize what was going on, almost everyone else was passed out with them.

"Wha- What is this?" Dead Eyes demanded, sluggishly shaking his head.

People were beginning to panic, but it only served to make them breathe faster, and thus breathe in more of Midnight's quirk. Deku slightly adjusted his mask – it had been upgraded to work as a gas mask about a year ago, but it still looked like an average medical mask. Coldly making eye contact with both leaders, Deku said, "The heroes are here. You've just lost both of your gangs."

The few people that were awake still looked distressed, but Izuku was just looking forward to leaving this warehouse behind him forever. He began walking towards the front doors, where Takane slumped, but before he could, the doors exploded open.

Ice shot through Izuku's veins at the sight of the number one hero barreling through the front doors, proclaiming, "I AM HERE!"

Izuku backed up a few steps, mind whirling. He couldn't be exposed – most people were asleep, but the air wafting in from All Might's entrance was enough to keep the few people that weren't asleep that way for a while longer.

He counted the number of people fighting to stay on their feet – the only ones awake. There were five, and the porcupine woman had just collapsed, growling softly. Eraserhead and Midnight descended from the vents, taking down the few people that were standing.

"A job well done, fellow heroes," All Might boomed with a laugh, but Izuku's attention was taken over by the almost indiscernible sound of a gun cocking.

Time seemed to slow down once Izuku heard the sound. It would have been the hero's own fault if he got shot, on multiple accounts. But letting that happen to anyone, even All Might was against everything he stood for, everything he was.

Izuku's eyes flew around the room, searching for the culprit before he saw her, a female member of Dead Eyes that had been feigning sleep, but now she was carefully aiming her handgun from where she laid on the floor.

Tackling or shoving All Might out of the way wasn't possible in the least. In the end, though, Izuku didn't make a conscious decision. "MOVE!" he shouted, before his body chose for him, sprinting to dive in front of the bullet that fired.

He'd been shot before, but it couldn't have prepared him for being shot in a vital area. The pain ripped through him, and Izuku immediately lost all strength, collapsing onto the number one hero. He couldn't concentrate on that, though, he had to breathe. Why couldn't he breathe?

A cough ripped through his body, the pain rippling through him with every little movement. A small, detached part of his brain started analyzing the situation – he'd just been shot in the lung, which would become very lethal very soon. He was likely going to shock now, and All Might was attempting to staunch the bleeding.

"What was that gunshot?"

Izuku knew that voice. It was a good voice – Tsukauchi. His mind wouldn't process the rest of what the detective said, but a part of him relaxed knowing that he could tell at least one person goodbye.

"-ya, stay with me," the detective was saying. "-eep breathing."

His eyes focused on the familiar face in front of him, a slight distraction from the pain. He wanted to stay, to be with his family and his coworkers for as long as he could.

But he couldn't leave them with nothing. Even though every syllable was agony, Izuku forced out, "Trying to… sir." He had to pause to cough, his vision going a little fuzzier. "Just… in case, tell… Mom… love her."

"Kid, I order you not to die," Tsukauchi demanded, trying to staunch the blood flow even more.

Somehow that struck Izuku as funny. "You know… always follow… orders." It was beginning not to hurt so much, which part of him knew was a bad thing, but the rest of him wanted to chase the numb oblivion. Against his will, his eyes shuttered, and he whispered, "This dream… can't die. Sorry… Eri."

Izuku wouldn't say his life flashed before his eyes, but everyone and everything he cared about did. Mom, Eri, every police officer, even Mori, Shoto, his friends…

It wasn't fair. His intense longing to be with them longer was the last thing he felt before he was dragged completely into oblivion.


End file.
